While a number of thoroughbreds put up exceptional performances during 2020, it was the world’s premier stallion who dominated proceedings in what was one of the most testing and difficult years in living memory.
Galileo’s sons and daughters not only dominated the world’s leading races, but his sire sons enjoyed a truly magnificent season in 2020 further cementing Galileo’s increasing dominance of the thoroughbred industry.
Galileo supplied nine individual Gr1 winners in 2020, with his top level winners picking up 14 Gr1 contests this year.
He became the all time leading sire of Epsom Derby winner this year thanks to his son Serpentine-who became Galileo’s fifth Derby winner, and second consecutive Derby winner, when making all to land the 2020 Investec Derby by five and a half lengths.
ANTHONY VAN DYCK (Galileo x Believe N Succeed) wins the Gr1 Epsom Derby 2019. Ridden by Seamie Heffernan. Photo – Bronwen Healy. The Image is Everything. Bronwen Healy Photography.
Galileo also supplied a rare Derby/Oaks double in 2020, with his outstanding daughter Love capturing the Gr1 Investec Oaks, as well as the Gr1 Qipco 1000 Guineas and Gr1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks, to stamp herself the best 3yo filly in the UK in 2020.
(The last stallion to accomplish that Epsom Oaks/Derby double prior to Galileo was the latter’s sire Sadler’s Wells in 2001-when Galileo himself won the Derby after paternal half-sister Imagine had won the Oaks).
Remarkably, Love was one of two Galileo daughters to capture three G1 races during 2020 –his now retired star daughter Magical winning all of the G1 Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly Stakes, Gr1 Tattersalls Gold Cup and Gr1 Irish Champion Stakes in 2020 to take her total tally of Gr1 triumphs to seven.
Galileo also came up with his fourth (and third consecutive) Grand Prix de Paris winner when his son Mogul captured that contest before going on to triumph in the Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase in December.
Mogul wins the Gr1 Longines Hong Kong Vase.
His sire son Teofilo enjoyed a tour de force in 2020 with that unbeaten champion responsible for six individual Gr1 winners in 2020 (his tally included Twilight Payment –a second Melbourne Cup winner in three years for Teofilo).
Other sons of Galileo to supply at least one Gr1 winner in 2020 include Australia, Frankel, Nathaniel, New Approach, and Rip Van Winkle.
The legendary bay is also set to be crowned Leading Broodmare Sire in France for 2020, thanks largely to his maternal grandson Sottsass’ victory in the 2020 Gr1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. (Galileo made yet more headlines as a broodmare sire in 2020 when his maternal grandson Ghaiyyath (Dubawi), winner of all of the Gr1 Coronation Cup, Gr1 Coral-Eclipse and Gr1 Juddmonte International in 2020, was named Cartier Horse Of The Year).
Inbreeding to Galileo also made the headlines in 2020, with Gr1 Vertem Futurity Trophy winner Mac Swiney a son of New Approach (Galileo) and the Teofilo (Galileo) mare Halla Na Saoire, and this pattern looks sure to be repeated in the future.
Galileo also made his mark in South Africa in 2019-2020 with his son Global View the country’s Leading First Season Sire for that concluded season.
Global View is South Africa’s Leading First Season Sire 2019-2020
