| Sadler's Wells | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Northern Dancer |
| Grandsire | Nearctic |
| Dam | Fairy Bridge |
| Damsire | Bold Reason |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1981; died April 26, 2011 (aged 30) |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Swettenham Stud |
| Owner | Robert Sangster |
| Trainer | Vincent O'Brien |
| Record | 11:6-4-0 |
| Earnings | $663,423 |
| Major wins | |
| Beresford Stakes (1983) Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial (1984) Irish 2,000 Guineas (1984) Eclipse Stakes (1984) Irish Champion Stakes (1984) |
|
| Awards | |
| Champion Miler in France (1984) Leading sire in North America (1995) Leading sire in Britain & Ireland (1990, 1992-2004) Leading sire in France (1993, 1994, 1999) Leading broodmare sire in Britain & Ireland (2005-2008) |
|
| Horse (Equus ferus caballus) | |
| Last updated on May 6, 2010 | |
Sadler's Wells (1981–2011) was a Thoroughbred racehorse that was later a leading sire in France, Great Britain & Ireland and North America during the 1990s. He was the most dominant sire in the world during the past quarter century, and the greatest sire ever in Europe, though he achieved amazing success worldwide, including in the United States, Canada, Asia, Dubai and Australia. Only Danehill as sired more stakes winners than Sadler's Wells. He was foaled in 1981 in the United States, but achieved most of his racing and breeding fame in Europe.
He was by the great sire, Northern Dancer, his dam Fairy Bridge was by Bold Reason. Sadler's Wells was the older brother to Classic Music, Tate Gallery (won BBA Goffs National Stakes etc.) and Fairy King. He was a half-brother to Perugino (by Danzig), Hermitage (by Storm Bird) and Fairy Dancer (by Nijinsky II).[1]
Sadler's Wells, trained by Vincent O'Brien, had a successful racing career as a three-year-old in 1984 when he won the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial, the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the Eclipse Stakes and the inaugural Phoenix Champion Stakes. He also finished second in the Prix du Jockey Club and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
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Sadler's Wells greatest achievement came as a champion sire and much of the Coolmore breeding empire is founded on his success. Sadler's Wells has been Champion Sire in Great Britain & Ireland 14 times, as well as Champion Sire in France three times and North America once. He has produced over 323 stakes winners and 80 individual Group 1/Grade I winners.[2]
In November 2007, a Sadler's Wells daughter, Playful Act, out of the mare Magnificent Style, was sold at the Keeneland breeding stock sale for a world record price of US$10.5 million.
| Foaled | Name | Sex | Major Wins |
| 1986 | In the Wings | c | Coronation Cup, G. P. de Saint-Cloud, Breeders' Cup Turf |
| 1986 | Old Vic | c | Prix du Jockey Club, Irish Derby |
| 1987 | Salsabil | f | 1,000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks, Irish Derby, Prix Vermeille |
| 1988 | Opera House | c | Coronation Cup, Eclipse, K George VI & Q Elizabeth |
| 1989 | El Prado | c | 1991 Irish Champion Two-Year-Old Colt, 2002 Leading sire in North America |
| 1990 | Barathea | c | Irish 2,000 Guineas, Breeders' Cup Mile |
| 1990 | Fort Wood | c | G. P. de Paris |
| 1990 | Intrepidity | f | Prix Saint-Alary, Epsom Oaks, Prix Vermeille |
| 1991 | Carnegie | c | Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, G. P. de Saint-Cloud |
| 1991 | King's Theatre | c | K George VI & Q Elizabeth |
| 1991 | Northern Spur | c | Breeders' Cup Turf |
| 1992 | Istabraq | c | Champion Hurdle x 3 |
| 1992 | Moonshell | f | Epsom Oaks |
| 1993 | Water Poet | c | Six-time leading sire in Venezuela (2004–2009) |
| 1994 | Ebadiyla | f | Irish Oaks, Prix Royal-Oak |
| 1994 | Entrepreneur | c | 2,000 Guineas |
| 1994 | Kayf Tara | c | Ascot Gold Cup x 2, Irish St. Leger x 2 |
| 1995 | Dream Well | c | Prix du Jockey Club, Irish Derby |
| 1995 | King of Kings | c | 2,000 Guineas |
| 1996 | Montjeu | c | Prix du Jockey Club, Irish Derby, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, G. P. de Saint-Cloud, K George VI & Q Elizabeth |
| 1997 | Beat Hollow | c | G. P. de Paris, Arlington Million |
| 1998 | Galileo | c | Epsom Derby, Irish Derby, K George VI & Q Elizabeth |
| 1998 | Imagine | f | Irish 1,000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks |
| 1998 | Milan | c | St. Leger |
| 1999 | High Chaparral | c | Epsom Derby, Irish Derby, Irish Champion Stakes, Breeders' Cup Turf x 2 |
| 1999 | Islington | f | Yorkshire Oaks x 2, Nassau Stakes, Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf |
| 2000 | Brian Boru | c | St. Leger |
| 2000 | Powerscourt | c | Arlington Million |
| 2000 | Doyen | c | K George VI & Q Elizabeth |
| 2000 | Refuse to Bend | c | 2,000 Guineas, Queen Anne, Eclipse |
| 2001 | Yeats | c | Coronation Cup, Ascot Gold Cup x 4, Irish St. Leger |
| 2002 | Playful Act | f | Fillies Mile |
| 2003 | Alexandrova | f | Epsom Oaks, Irish Oaks, Yorkshire Oaks |
| 2003 | Ask | f | Coronation Cup |
On 13 May 2008 Coolmore announced that Sadler's Wells was retiring from breeding due to declining fertility.[3]
Sadler's Wells died peacefully on 26 April 2011 at the age of 30 at Coolmore Stud.[4][5]
| Sire Northern Dancer |
Nearctic | Nearco | Pharos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nogara | |||
| Lady Angela | Hyperion | ||
| Sister Sarah | |||
| Natalma | Native Dancer | Polynesian | |
| Geisha | |||
| Almahmoud | Mahmoud | ||
| Arbitrator | |||
| Dam Fairy Bridge |
Bold Reason | Hail to Reason | Turn-To |
| Nothirdchance | |||
| Lalun | Djeddah | ||
| Be Faithful | |||
| Special | Forli | Aristophanes | |
| Trevisa | |||
| Thong | Nantallah | ||
| Rough Shod |