Sea Bird II

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Sea Bird II
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Sire:	Dan Cupid
Dam:	Sicalade
Damsire:	Sicambre
Sex:	Stallion
Foaled:	1962
Country:	France
Colour:	Chestnut
Breeder:	Jean Ternynck
Owner:	Jean Ternynck
Trainer:	Etienne Pollet
Record:	8: 7-1-0
Earnings:	$646,906
Major Racing Wins & Honours & Awards
Major Racing Wins
Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte (1964) Prix Greffulhe (1965) Prix Lupin (1965) Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (1965) Epsom Derby (1965) Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (1965)
Honours
Highest ever Timeform rating.
Infobox last updated on: September 25, 2006.

Sea Bird II, foaled in 1962, is considered by many to be one of the best post-war European racehorses.

Owned and bred at the stables of Lille textile manufacturer Jean Ternynck, Sea Bird II is most famous for his Group One victories in two of Europe's most prestigious races, the Epsom Derby and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He was trained in France by Etienne Pollet, and the Derby was the only time that he ran in Great Britain, but the ease of his victory marked him out as one of the very best Derby winners in living memory. He won the race by a conservative two lengths, but was barely asked to extend himself. The second home that day, Meadow Court, went on to win the Irish Derby Stakes and the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes.

In the Arc, he faced an incredibly strong field, including Meadow Court, Kentucky Derby winner Tom Rolfe, French Derby winner Reliance, and Russian champion Anilin. Sea Bird won comfortably, six lengths in front of Reliance, who was in turn six lengths in front of Diatome, who would go on to win the Washington, D.C. International.

Prior to the running of the Arc, American breeder John Galbreath paid owner Jean Ternynck $1,500,000 to lease Sea Bird II for five years stud duty at his Darby Dan Farm in Kentucky. Among Sear Bird II's progeny are the 1974 Arc winner Allez France, 1974 Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner Little Current, Champion Hurdle winner Sea Pigeon and Gyr, who finished second in the 1970 Epsom Derby behind the English Triple Crown winner, Nijinsky II.

Timeform rated Sea Bird II a mark of 145, the highest ever awarded.

Pedigree of Sea Bird II
Sire Dan Cupid	Native Dancer	Polynesian	Unbreakable
			Black Polly
		Geisha	Discovery
			Miyako
	Vixenette	Sickle	Phalaris
			Selene
		Lady Reynard	Gallant Fox
			Nerva
Dam Sicalade	Sicambre	Prince Bio	Prince Rose
			Biologie
		Sif	Rialto
			Suavita
	Marmalade	Maurepas	Aethelstan
			Broceliande
		Couleur	Biribi
			Colour Bar