We might be fast approaching the second anniversary of Galileo’s death in July 2021, but his influence was still felt as keenly as ever during two days of top-class entertainment on Epsom Downs, the place where he really made his name, both as a racehorse and in the stallion ranks.
His three-and-a-half-length success in the 2001 Derby was that of a horse simply made for the unique test that Epsom provides, demonstrating the perfect blend of speed, stamina and pure talent that he’s passed on to so many of his offspring in the years since.
Testament to that fact is a tally of 10 Epsom classic victories – five each in the Oaks and Derby – for sons or daughters of Galileo. Throw into the mix another 10 Epsom classic winners who can count Galileo as their paternal or maternal grandsire – including Soul Sister (by Galileo’s best son, Frankel) and Auguste Rodin (out of Galileo’s daughter, Rhododendron), the 2023 winners of the Oaks and Derby, respectively – and it’s fair to say that no other sire in the history of the turf has made this weekend his own in the same way that he has.
Just look at the 13 horses beaten by Auguste Rodin on Saturday. Only King of Steel (runner-up) and Dubai Mile (ninth) had a pedigree totally free of Galileo blood, while the mere presence of Artistic Star (seventh) in the line-up made it 18 years in a row that the Derby has featured at least one son of Galileo.
That run won’t go on forever, of course, and we already know the absolute latest year it will come to an end. Galileo covered 45 mares in early-2021 before his death that July, so it will be in 2025 – when the offspring from those matings turn three – that he gets one final opportunity to add to his record tally of Derby wins.
It would be fitting if there was at least one classic prospect among Galileo’s final crop of three-year-olds, just when the odds seem stacked against him. It will certainly be a far cry from the bumper crops of bluebloods he’s had to represent him in years past, instead operating with the sort of numbers he had at the very start of his stallion career when he wasn’t instantly popular with breeders.
It didn’t take long for that to change. The results on the racecourse told their own story and Galileo had two European classic winners in 2006 alone when his first bunch of three-year-olds hit the track. Step forward Nightime, who became Galileo’s first individual Group/Grade One winner full stop when landing the Irish 1000 Guineas, and Sixties Icon, who was his sire’s first Derby runner when finishing seventh behind Sir Percy before going on to win the St Leger.
All these years later and Galileo’s progeny have now won 48 classic races in Britain and Ireland in total, helping him to become the leading sire in those nations no fewer than 12 times, first in 2008 and then for 11 years in a row from 2010 to 2020.
There are countless other statistics which underpin why Galileo is considered arguably the greatest stallion of the modern era, but the one which stands out above all the others is his staggering tally of 97 individual Group/Grade One winners worldwide, smashing the all-time record previously held by Danehill (84).
From Nightime in the 2006 Irish 1000 Guineas to Proud And Regal in the 2022 Criterium International, it’s been quite the journey which now leaves Galileo just three shy of an unprecedented century. Could 2023 be the year that he reaches three figures and rewrites the history books yet again?
Free Wind and Savethelastdance can step up
One horse with the potential to take him one step closer in the months ahead is the John and Thady Gosden-trained five-year-old Free Wind, who is yet to test the waters at the top level but looks well on her way there following a hat-trick of Group Two victories.
Last seen winning the Middleton Stakes at York’s Dante Festival, Free Wind has already shown a high level of form which ought to put her right in the mix in Group One races against her own sex, while it’s not out of the question that she may yet have more to offer after just eight starts.
A race like the Yorkshire Oaks would look an obvious target this summer as she tries to make the breakthrough at the top level, though much will depend on plans for her Epsom-winning stable companions, Coronation Cup heroine Emily Upjohn and Oaks scorer Soul Sister.
If it wasn't for the last-named filly Galileo would already have 98 individual Group/Grade One winners to his name, not to mention 11 Epsom classic winners. That's because Soul Sister was chased home in the Oaks by Galileo filly Savethelastdance, the odds-on favourite having run out a wide-margin winner of the Cheshire Oaks on her previous start.
It might not have happened for Savethelastdance at Epsom, but that isn't to say that she can't pick up a Group One prize somewhere down the line. She was simply unable to match Soul Sister's turn of foot at Epsom, but there could be more to come from her back on softer ground and faced with a stiffer test of stamina. A rematch with the winner in the Irish Oaks is likely to be next on the cards.
Stablemate Warm Heart could also be bound for the Curragh having looked a filly destined for bigger and better things when winning a Listed race at Newbury last time, while Aidan O'Brien also has a few promising three-year-old colts by Galileo waiting in the wings at Ballydoyle, headed by Irish Derby entries Espionage and Peking Opera.
Espionage only narrowly missed out on Group One success as a two-year-old, passing the post a head behind Proud And Regal when completing a one-two for Galileo in the Criterium International. He hasn't been seen on a racecourse since, but hopefully he'll be back in action before too long as his pedigree is that of one likely to thrive over middle-distances as a three-year-old.
As for Peking Opera, he looked a smart prospect when returning from seven months off with a cosy Listed win at Navan, shaping like a thorough stayer. Still totally unexposed after just three starts, he holds an entry in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot and it's easy to see him developing into a St Leger contender.
Ballydoyle stars past and present
A run at Royal Ascot could also be next up for his year-older stablemate Changingoftheguard, who shaped as if the run would bring him on when last seen finishing third on his belated reappearance in the Ormonde Stakes at Chester.
Changingoftheguard won three of his four starts in 2022, with his sole defeat coming when he finished fifth behind Desert Crown in the Derby. He gained Group-race wins in the Chester Vase and King Edward VII Stakes either side of that reversal, but a setback then forced him to miss the rest of his three-year-old campaign.
Still, the fact his top stable is persevering with him as a four-year-old suggests his best days could still be ahead of him. He certainly wouldn’t be the first son of Galileo to take his form up a notch as an older horse, even if he doesn’t look quite up to Group One standard just yet.
Changingoftheguard was one of three sons of Galileo to run in last year’s Derby for O’Brien, along with Stone Age (sixth) and Star of India (thirteenth).
Disappointing when sent off second favourite at Epsom, Stone Age continued to be highly tried after that and was placed in Group/Grade One company on a couple of occasions, notably filling the runner-up spot in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. He clearly has the ability to win a lesser race at the top level, though it doesn't augur well for his prospects that he doesn’t hold any upcoming entries having been well beaten when last seen running in Qatar in February.
Star of India, on the other hand, looks to have a very bright future in Australia having joined Annabel Neasham during the second half of 2022. He made the perfect start to life with his new yard when landing the $750,000 Rosehill Gold Cup in October and it will be interesting to see what he can do Down Under when he returns to the track later this year.
Similar comments apply to another former stablemate in the shape of United Nations, who hasn't been seen on a racecourse since winning last year's Lingfield Derby Trial for O'Brien. He is now trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and there's a good chance he hasn't reached his ceiling yet having made only four starts on European soil.
A smart performer in Britain when trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Maximal already has some strong form to his name in Australia and he was knocking at the door at the highest level in 2022, finishing second in both the Doomben Cup and Turnbull Stakes for John O'Shea. A repeat of that form might be good enough for him to go one place better somewhere down the line.
Other offspring of Galileo to look out for overseas include the Andre Fabre-trained three-year-old First Minister, a decisive winner of a Group Three at Longchamp recently, and Chad Brown's five-year-old mare Higher Truth, who proved at least as good as ever when winning a Grade Two event at Belmont last month. They're both likely to be operating at the top grade sooner rather than later.
Two-year-old runners taking shape
And what of this year's juveniles, the penultimate crop to reach the racecourse?
Galileo's yearlings in 2022 included a full brother to Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Waldgeist who cost 725,000 guineas at Tattersalls Book One. He has since been named William Walton and is one of many interesting sorts among the two-year-old team at the Gosden stable.
As ever it's Ballydoyle where the cream of the crop have mostly ended up, though.
When Dan Briden recently published his pedigree guide to O'Brien's two-year-old team, it was notable that no fewer than 20 of those listed were by Galileo, many of them out of mares who were champions on the racecourse themselves.
They include a filly out of the dual Nunthorpe winner Mecca's Angel named Content, a colt out of the six-time US Grade One winner Abel Tasman named Hallowed, a colt out of the 1000 Guineas winner/Oaks runner-up Legatissimo named Blackpool and a filly out of the six-time Group/Grade One winner Tepin named Grateful.
For good measure, there are several others who can boast Group/Grade One-winning siblings, including a full sister to the Irish 1000 Guineas winner Peaceful named Andromeda, a full sister to the Breeders' Cup Turf/Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Found named Rubies Are Red, a half-brother to the Derby/Irish Derby winner Harzand and a full brother to the Dewhurst Stakes/2000 Guineas winner Churchill (both unnamed).
Who knows, perhaps there is a champion two-year-old in 2023 lurking in that list? Or maybe an Epsom classic winner in 2024?
Wherever they come from, three more will do it, three more individual Group/Grade One winners to take Galileo to 100, setting the bar higher still for those trying to fill his shoes.
It's one thing being a brilliant Derby winner, but in this game the work for Auguste Rodin has only just begun.
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