A LISTED winner at two and second in the Irish Derby in his second season, Born To Sea had excellent credentials to start his stallion career, especially as he is a half-brother to those great champions Galileo and Sea The Stars.
He has made a very good start with his first runners in 2016, as they include 14 individual winners of 16 races, headed by Sea Of Grace who won the Group 3 Flame of Tara Stakes at the Curragh.
Born To Sea has already had 11 yearlings sell for over €100,000, with Croom House Stud receiving €320,000 for a colt, Rathbarry Stud selling another colt to Shadwell for £230,000, while the filly Sea Of Grace sold in France for €260,000.
Trained by John Oxx, Born To Sea always raced in the top class. He made a winning debut in the Listed The Irish Field Blenheim Stakes over six furlongs at the Curragh, before finishing lame after running a close second in the Group 3 Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown.
As a three-year-old five of Born To Sea’s six starts were in Group 1 events and the other in a Group 2. He was a close fifth to Power in the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas and fourth in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
In the Group 1 Irish Derby he ran second to Camelot, beaten only two lengths with the third nine lengths away, and he ended his racing career with another second in the Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh and fifth to Snow Fairy, Nathaniel and St Nicholas Abbey in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes.
The sire of Born To Sea is champion sprinter and Group 1 star Invincible Spirit, who has already been represented by almost 100 blacktype winners. These include the brilliant miler Kingman, the French classic winner Lawman, the July Cup hero Mayson, Charm Spirit, Shalaa and the flying fillies Moonlight Cloud, Fleeting Spirit and Hooray.
Born To Sea is the last son of that wonderful broodmare Urban Sea, and her eighth winner, every one of which scored in blacktype races. Six of Urban Sea’s foals are group winners, four of them in Group 1 events.
The champion racemare in Europe when she won the Arc de Triomphe, Urban Sea produced two Epsom Derby heroes. Her son Galileo completed the Epsom and Irish Derby double in 2001 and he has been leading sire eight times.
Sea The Stars, a three-parts brother to Born To Sea, won the Epsom Derby and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and has already sired three classic winners, including Harzand.
Won one race, £276,048, over 6 furlongs, at 2 years viz. The Irish Field Blenheim Stakes, Curragh, L, also placed second in Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, Curragh, Gr.1, Keeneland Royal Whip Stakes, Curragh, Gr.2, JRA Killavullan Stakes, Leopardstown, Gr.3
Retired to Stud in 2013, and sire of the winners of 16 races, and £168,959, including SEA OF GRACE (IRE), Born To Be (IRE), Star Of Rory (IRE) ,etc
Stands at: Gilltown Stud, Kilcullen, Co Kildare, Ireland
Contact: Pat Downes or Julie White
Telephone: +353 45 48 12 16
Email: pat.downes@agakhanstuds.com
Web: www.agakhanstuds.com
Fee: €10,000