First two mares sold in foal to Champion racehorse and Gilltown freshman sire average almost $1 million. Proof that the attraction of Sea The Stars extends across the Atlantic has been provided by the first two broodmares sold in foal to the champion racehorse. The six-time Gr 1 winner is the top first-season covering sire in America as Love to Dance and Exciting Times raised respectively $1.05 million and $900,000 at recent sales.

Love to Dance was the first ever mare in foal to Sea The Stars offered for public sale and the five-year-old daughter of Sadler’s Wells was snapped up at Fasig Tipton’s November Mixed Sale by agent Reynolds Bell, acting for John Clay’s Alpha Delta Stables. For Bell, the covering by Sea The Stars was a deciding factor and he told TDN, “she is in foal to Sea The Stars who is probably the best horse we’ve seen in Europe in three decade s.” Gr 2 placed Love To Dance is a half-sister to Dylan Thomas and Queen’s Logic.

A day later, Exciting Times came under the hammer at Keeneland’s November Breeding Sale. The 13-year-old dam of Gr 1 Beverly D Stakes scorer Gorella was consigned by Lane’s End as part of the dispersal of Breeding Capital Plc and the daughter of Jeune Homme was knocked down to agent David Ingordo. The two sales give Sea The Stars an enviable average of $975,000 as a covering sire.

European investors can look forward to more opportunities to buy into Sea the Stars’ first generation, beginning with Goffs November Breeding Stock sale whose catalogue features three mares in foal to the Gilltown Stud sire. Goffs Chief Executive Henry Beeby said, “Sea The Stars represents so much that is best about Irish-bred horses and Goffs is privileged to be the first European auction house to offer mares in foal to this outstanding champion.”

The three mares in question are lots 871 Luminaria, 911 Karmifiria and 916 Blas Ceoil. Luminaria is a Danehill half-sister to Gr 1 placed Luminata and Blas Ceoil (Mr Greeley) is a winning half-sister to a Gr 3 scorer. The pair are both consigned by Jim Bolger’s Redmonstown Stud, while Gr 1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches runner-up Karmifira (Always Fair), who has already given birth to Gr 1 Prix Marcel Boussac second On Verra, is offered by Tinnakill House.

The catalogue for Tattersalls December Mare Sale features no less than ten superbly-bred mares covered by Sea The Stars. These include several Group winners, and dams of Group winners, plus the half-sisters of five-time Gr 1 scorer Duke of Marmalade and of German champions Schiaparelli, Samum and Salve Regina.

Finally, the Coulonces Consignment’s Première Creation is the sole entry covered by Sea The Stars in Arqana’s December Breeding Stock Sale. By Green Tune, the Gr 3 runner-up and Gr 1 third has already proven her worth in the paddocks as dam of Gr 1 placed Anabaa’s Creation and Gr 3 winner Leo’s Starlet, by Sea The Stars’ half-brother Galileo.

Updated on 12/11/2010.