The famous foundation mare Allegretta – ancestress of no less than nine winners of eighteen Gr1’s headed by six classics, two Prix de l’Arc de Triomphes, one King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. The eight to have campaigned in Europe have been rated at least 120 by Timeform, with five rated 126 or higher amongst these is the phenomenal King’s Best, sire of King’s Apostle (photo). Interestingly, King’s Apostle’s pedigree represents the Allegretta x Sadler’s Wells cross that produced Galileo – highlighted by a recent article in the February issue of Thoroughbred Owner Breeder (Pacemaker).
“She was bred in Germany and trained by Sir Michael Stoute. She showed above average form to win at a mile and nine furlongs at 2 years and was 2nd in the Zetland Stakes and she did well to chase home Leap Lively in the Lingfield Oaks Trial. Unfortunately she lost form at 3yrs, probably because of her temperament – she was a distinctly nervous filly and used to sweat up markedly.
She was sold to race in USA for just Gns24 000 at the December Sales in Newmarket and did little or nothing there and was resold for US$55 000 at Keeneland in 1984.
Her new owner said that she gave the “impression of not having much heart but she descended from an exceptional family….”
Her first four foals did little to justify the purchase but that position changed in 1989 with the arrival of Urban Sea (by Miswaki), a 280 000Francs purchase at Deauville for David Tsui and partners. She was tough and game as a racehorse placing 3rd in the Prix Vermeille during her classic campaign. She appeared at Goffs France where Tsui bought her and several other horses in a package worth around £350 000. This proved to be a bargain buy and in short time she improved significantly as a 4yo running 2nd in the Prince of Wales Stakes before picking up the Prix Gontaut-Biron. She then sprang a surprise in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and was named champion older European filly. She looked as good as ever notching the Prix d’Harcourt but injury cut her career short.
Urban Sea’s stud record is exemplary with 11 named foals she was mated to stallions having a wide range of stamina including four by Sadler’s Wells’, two by Green Desert and one each by Cape Cross and Invincible Spirit. Intriguingly all those that raced at three or older seemed suited to middle distances.
Galileo and Sea The Stars enabled Urban Sea to join an elite band of mares to have produced two Derby winners. They notched seven other Gr1’s and her son Galileo has now made his mark as a world class sire.
If Urban Sea had been the only member of Allegretta’s family to have scaled these heights that would have been a fine advert for the family on its own. But there is more: and as with Urban Seas progeny colts have dominated.
Allegretta’s 1997 foal, King’s Best (sire of Klawervlei based King’s Apostle whose dam is a grand-daughter of Galileo’s sire Sadler’s Wells) sold for 2.3m Francs and put up a brilliant display to win the 2000 Guineas from Giants Causeway and his ability enabled his dams next yearling to go for 9m Francs.
The achievements of such offspring as Work Force, Proclamation and Creachador have kept King’s Best’s name in the headlines and a year after his Guineas victory Allegretta’s 1986 foal Anzille was represented by Anzillero winner of the GR1 Deutschland-Preis.
The sale of Tusculum, a listed race winner of a mile, for 440 000 guineas confirmed the involvement with the family as a licence to print money.”
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Extract of an article first published in the February 2012 edition of the Thoroughbred Owner & Breeder (Pacemaker) magazine: http://www.ownerbreeder.co.uk
Click here to read the online edition.
