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Spilletta

Spilletta
SireRegulus
GrandsireGodolphin Arabian
DamMother Western
DamsireSmith's Son of Snake
SexMare
Foaled1749
CountryGreat Britain
ColourBay
BreederSir Robert Eden
Record1 start, 0 wins

Spilletta (1749 – 1776) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. She only raced once and is best known for being the dam of the undefeated Eclipse.

Background

Spilletta was a bay filly bred by the Sir Robert Eden and foaled in 1749. She was sired by the undefeated Regulus.[1] Regulus was also a very successful stallion, becoming Champion sire eight times. Regulus also sired Careless and Cato.[2] Spilletta's dam was Mother Western, a daughter of Smith's son of Snake.[1]

Racing career

Spilletta only started one race, in April 1754 at Newmarket for a £50 Plate. She lost the race to Sir Charles Sedley's Royal, the Marquess of Hartington's Tantivy and Mr. Curzon's Jason.[3]

Stud career

Spilletta was a broodmare at the Duke of Cumberland stud. She produced five foals:

  • Ariaden – a bay filly foaled in 1759 and sire by Crab.[1]
  • Eclipse – a chestnut stallion foaled in 1764 and sired by Marske.[1] He was undefeated during his 18 race career and is generally considered one of the best horses ever. His wins included 11 King's Plates, the Great Subscription Purse and a match against Bucephalus.[3] He sired Planet, Pot-8-Os, King Fergus, Mercury, Young Eclipse, Saltram, Serjeant and Annette.[4] Eclipse is the sire-line ancestor of most Thoroughbreds alive today.
  • Proserpine – a bay mare foaled in 1766 and sired by Marske.[1] She never raced, but was the dam of Humbug and six others.[5]
  • Garrick – first called Hyperion, a chestnut stallion foaled in 1772 and sired by Marske.[1] He won a 140 guineas race at Newmarket in 1777. As a stallion he stood at Newmarket and near Malton in Yorkshire.[3]
  • Briseis – a chestnut filly foaled in 1774 and sired by Chrysolite.[1]

Spilletta died in 1776.[1]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Spilletta, bay mare, 1749[1][2][4][6][7]
Sire
Regulus (GB)
1739
Godolphin Arabian (unknown) (unknown)
(unknown)
(unknown) (unknown)
(unknown)
Grey Robinson Bald Galloway St. Victor's Barb
Grey Whynot
Snake mare Snake*
Grey Wilkes
Dam
Mother Western (GB)
Smith's son of Snake Snake* Lister's Turk
Hautboy mare
Akaster Turk mare Akaster Turk
Pulleine's Arabian Colt mare
Montagu mare Montagu (unknown)
(unknown)
Hautboy mare Hautboy
Brimmer mare

Note: b. = Bay, br. = Brown

* Spilletta is inbred 4S × 3D to the stallion Snake, meaning that he appears fourth generation on the sire side of his pedigree and third generation on the dam side of his pedigree.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i The General Stud Book. J. S. Skinner, Baltimore. 1834. Retrieved 2012-12-31.
  2. ^ a b "Regulus". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2012-12-31.
  3. ^ a b c Pick, William; Johnson, R. (1805). The Turf Register (Volume II). A. Bartholoman, High-Ousegate.
  4. ^ a b "Eclipse". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2012-12-31.
  5. ^ Johnson, R. (1822). The Turf Register (Volume III). A. Bartholoman, High-Ousegate.
  6. ^ "Lister or Stradling Turk". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2012-12-31.
  7. ^ "Brimmer Mare - Family 70". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2012-12-31.