Top broodmare Urban Sea dies

Urban Sea, winner of the 1993 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and one of the world's outstanding broodmares, died on Monday following foaling complications at the Irish National Stud at the age of 20.

By Miswaki out of the Lombard mare Allegretta, Urban Sea was bred in Kentucky by Marystead Farm. She was owned by David Tsui and trained in France by Jean Lesbordes to her victory at 37-1 odds in the Arc. She won three other group races, all against males.

Urban Sea surpassed her racecourse exploits as a broodmare, producing the Sadler's Wells colt Galileo, who would win both the Epsom and Irish derbies and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes, as well as his full brother Black Sam Bellamy, the winner of two Group 1 races. Her Giant's Causeway filly My Typhoon won Saratoga's Grade 1 Diana Stakes plus four Grade 2's and a Grade 3.

Her Cape Cross colt Sea the Stars, currently one of the favorites for the 2000 Guineas, won the Group 2 Beresford Stakes last October at the Curragh.