Arctic Tern (USA)
May 11, 1973 – July 13, 1998
Sea-Bird (FR) x Bubbling Beauty, by Hasty Road (USA)
Family 2-d
May 11, 1973 – July 13, 1998
Sea-Bird (FR) x Bubbling Beauty, by Hasty Road (USA)
Family 2-d
A son of the nervous, highly-strung Sea-Bird, Arctic Tern had the difficult temperament that had plagued his granddam Almahmoud in spades. Nonetheless, he had talent enough to become a Group 1 winner in France and was a successful stallion in that country as well.
Race record
21 starts, 4 wins, 5 seconds, 2 thirds
1975:
1976:
1977:
Assessments
Earned a Timeform rating of 125 pounds as a 2-year-old, 5 pounds below the top-rated European juvenile, Mantado.
Ranked sixth among French 3-year-old males of 1976 on the Handicap Optional, 9 pounds below champion Youth.
Earned a Timeform rating of 126 pounds as a 3-year-old, 9 pounds below the top-rated European 3-year-old, Youth.
Earned a Timeform rating of 126 pounds as a 4-year-old, 11 pounds below the top-rated European older male, Alleged.
Earned a rating of 90 on the inaugural International Classification in 1977, rating him as the eighth-best older male in Europe.
As an individual
An exceptionally handsome, elegant horse with excellent overall conformation and a rich liver chestnut coat, Arctic Tern was so highly strung and temperamental as to be nearly unmanageable in training and at the race course. He was blind in his right eye. He had a preference for yielding to heavy going. He stood 16 hands.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Arctic Tern sired 39 stakes winners (4.9%) and 407 winners (51.0%) from 798 named foals. Foundation Mares: How Outstanding Female Families Shaped America's Breeding Industry (John Sparkman) credits Arctic Tern with 44 stakes winners (5.5%).
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Per the Jockey Club of Turkey (https://www.tjk.org/EN/YarisSever/Query/Page/KisrakBabasi):
Notable progeny
Bering (FR), Escaline (FR), Harbour (FR), Intimiste (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Virginia, Arctic Tern was bred and owned by Mrs. John S. Knight's Keswick Stables. He was sent to France, where he was trained by John Fellows. He entered stud at Haras du Quesnay in 1978. Following the 1993 Northern Hemisphere breeding season, he transferred to Walmac International in Kentucky and then moved to Lane's End Farm, where he stood in 1986-1992. Following the 1992 breeding season, he returned to France and stood the remainder of his stud career at Haras du Petit Tellier. He died on July 13, 1998.
Pedigree notes
Arctic Tern is inbred 5x4 to 1935 American Horse of the Year Discovery. He is a half brother to Champagne Cocktail (by Roberto), dam of Grade 3 winner Sangria (by El Gran Senor).
Arctic Tern is out of Bubbling Beauty, whose half sister Natalma (by Native Dancer) produced 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and epochal sire Northern Dancer (by Nearctic). Natalma is also the dam of stakes winners Native Victor (by Victorian Era), Regal Dancer (by Grey Monarch), and Born a Lady (by Tentam) and is the second dam of 1972 Canadian Horse of the Year La Prevoyante and the third dam of the great international sire Danehill and French champions Machiavellian (also an important sire) and Coup de Genie. In addition, Bubbling Beauty is a half sister to Cosmah (by Cosmic Bomb), the 1974 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year and the dam of three-time American champion filly Tosmah (by Tim Tam), two-time American champion sire Halo (by Hail to Reason), 1965 Fountain of Youth stakes winner Maribeau (by Ribot), minor stakes winner Fathers Image (by Swaps), and the important producers Queen Sucree (by Ribot), Perfecta (by Swaps), La Dame du Lac (by Round Table), Love of Learning (by Hail to Reason), and Royal Match (by Turn-to).
Bubbling Beauty and her siblings were produced from 1950 Vineland Handicap winner Almahmoud (by Mahmoud), a full sister to 1954 Test Stakes winner Dispute and 1946 Will Rogers Stakes winner Burra Sahib. Almahmoud is also a full sister to Avatara, second dam of 1974 Jersey Derby (USA-G1) winner Better Arbitor. Almahmoud and her siblings, in turn, were produced from Arbitrator, an unraced daughter of 1934 Belmont Stakes winner Peace Chance and 1924 Futurity Stakes winner Mother Goose (by Chicle), generally considered the American co-champion 2-year-old filly of 1924.
Last updated: March 19, 2021
Race record
21 starts, 4 wins, 5 seconds, 2 thirds
1975:
- Won Prix Thomas Bryon (FR-G3, 1550mT, Saint-Cloud)
1976:
- Won Prix de Fontainebleau (FR-G3, 1600mT, Longchamp)
- 2nd Prix Lupin (FR-G1, 2100mT, Longchamp)
- 3rd Prix Niel (FR-G3, 2200mT, Longchamp)
1977:
- Won Prix Ganay (FR-G1, 2100mT, Longchamp)
- 2nd Prix Dollar (FR-G2, 1950mT, Longchamp)
- 3rd Joe Coral-Eclipse Stakes (ENG-G1, 10FT, Sandown)
- 3rd Prix d'Harcourt (FR-G2, 2000mT, Longchamp)
Assessments
Earned a Timeform rating of 125 pounds as a 2-year-old, 5 pounds below the top-rated European juvenile, Mantado.
Ranked sixth among French 3-year-old males of 1976 on the Handicap Optional, 9 pounds below champion Youth.
Earned a Timeform rating of 126 pounds as a 3-year-old, 9 pounds below the top-rated European 3-year-old, Youth.
Earned a Timeform rating of 126 pounds as a 4-year-old, 11 pounds below the top-rated European older male, Alleged.
Earned a rating of 90 on the inaugural International Classification in 1977, rating him as the eighth-best older male in Europe.
As an individual
An exceptionally handsome, elegant horse with excellent overall conformation and a rich liver chestnut coat, Arctic Tern was so highly strung and temperamental as to be nearly unmanageable in training and at the race course. He was blind in his right eye. He had a preference for yielding to heavy going. He stood 16 hands.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Arctic Tern sired 39 stakes winners (4.9%) and 407 winners (51.0%) from 798 named foals. Foundation Mares: How Outstanding Female Families Shaped America's Breeding Industry (John Sparkman) credits Arctic Tern with 44 stakes winners (5.5%).
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- Led the French general sire list in 1986; 6th in 1983-1985.
- 5th on the French broodmare sire list in 1994; 8th in 1996, 1997, and 1999; 9th in 1995; 10th in 1993.
- 3rd on the German general sire list in 1994.
- 3rd on the Italian general sire list in 1989.
Per the Jockey Club of Turkey (https://www.tjk.org/EN/YarisSever/Query/Page/KisrakBabasi):
- Led the Turkish broodmare sire list in 1990 and 1991.
Notable progeny
Bering (FR), Escaline (FR), Harbour (FR), Intimiste (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Virginia, Arctic Tern was bred and owned by Mrs. John S. Knight's Keswick Stables. He was sent to France, where he was trained by John Fellows. He entered stud at Haras du Quesnay in 1978. Following the 1993 Northern Hemisphere breeding season, he transferred to Walmac International in Kentucky and then moved to Lane's End Farm, where he stood in 1986-1992. Following the 1992 breeding season, he returned to France and stood the remainder of his stud career at Haras du Petit Tellier. He died on July 13, 1998.
Pedigree notes
Arctic Tern is inbred 5x4 to 1935 American Horse of the Year Discovery. He is a half brother to Champagne Cocktail (by Roberto), dam of Grade 3 winner Sangria (by El Gran Senor).
Arctic Tern is out of Bubbling Beauty, whose half sister Natalma (by Native Dancer) produced 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and epochal sire Northern Dancer (by Nearctic). Natalma is also the dam of stakes winners Native Victor (by Victorian Era), Regal Dancer (by Grey Monarch), and Born a Lady (by Tentam) and is the second dam of 1972 Canadian Horse of the Year La Prevoyante and the third dam of the great international sire Danehill and French champions Machiavellian (also an important sire) and Coup de Genie. In addition, Bubbling Beauty is a half sister to Cosmah (by Cosmic Bomb), the 1974 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year and the dam of three-time American champion filly Tosmah (by Tim Tam), two-time American champion sire Halo (by Hail to Reason), 1965 Fountain of Youth stakes winner Maribeau (by Ribot), minor stakes winner Fathers Image (by Swaps), and the important producers Queen Sucree (by Ribot), Perfecta (by Swaps), La Dame du Lac (by Round Table), Love of Learning (by Hail to Reason), and Royal Match (by Turn-to).
Bubbling Beauty and her siblings were produced from 1950 Vineland Handicap winner Almahmoud (by Mahmoud), a full sister to 1954 Test Stakes winner Dispute and 1946 Will Rogers Stakes winner Burra Sahib. Almahmoud is also a full sister to Avatara, second dam of 1974 Jersey Derby (USA-G1) winner Better Arbitor. Almahmoud and her siblings, in turn, were produced from Arbitrator, an unraced daughter of 1934 Belmont Stakes winner Peace Chance and 1924 Futurity Stakes winner Mother Goose (by Chicle), generally considered the American co-champion 2-year-old filly of 1924.
Last updated: March 19, 2021