Click above to watch Sea The Stars in the
2009 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
(Footage : Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe)
QATAR PRIX DE L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE
2009
It may be a day later, but revisiting the career of the biggest star in racing’s firmament (maybe of all time) has to be worth a read.
Guided by the incomparable nerve of Mick Kinane, Sea the Stars (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) emerged from the cauldron of the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with a reputation pitched into the stratosphere, registering an emphatic two-length success in yesterday’s 88th renewal.
The Thoroughbred Daily News reports that despite the scarcely believable exploits of the Tsui homebred so far in 2009, there was no sign of any wear-and-tear.
The 4-5 favorite over-raced from the outset, and continued to pull even after his jockey had buried him in the pack against the fence. While that is the quickest way around Longchamp, it is not a route without anxiety, and for a brief period in early stretch with space in short supply, it seemed as though his quest for immortality was in jeopardy. When a half-gap appeared, the brilliant winner of two Classics and a total of five Group 1s delivered his spellbinding acceleration to cut a swathe between the G1 Prix Vermeille protagonists Stacelita (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) and Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}), and once he was in front with 250 meters remaining, the story was told. In the end, it was Youmzain (Ire) (Sinndar {Ire}) who emerged best of the rest to fill the runner’s - up berth for the third consecutive year. Trainer John Oxx was typically calm afterwards when saying, “It’s just a relief that he came through it and it’s wonderful that it’s over. He had to have the gears to get out, and Mick wouldn’t panic, because he knew he had them. We were not too alarmed at any stage.”
Sea The Stars first came to attention when registering a smooth maiden win at Leopardstown in August of 2008, each step of the journey for the latest product of the celebrated Urban Sea has been well-documented.
Following his comfortable win in The Curragh’s G2 Beresford Stakes - essentially a race for potential middle-distance prospects - the following month, John Oxx spoke of his desire to avoid pigeon-holing his rare talent. The G1 2000 Guineas was the first port of call this term. He proved at Newmarket he had the speed to sprint, and at Epsom on the first Saturday in June, he entered a small class of luminaries able to carry that pace over a mile and a half. Still in league with some past greats when adding the G1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes to both Classics, he began to distance himself from all but the very top runners in history by taking the G1 Juddmonte International and G1 Irish Champion Stakes with more than a degree of comfort.
Entering Europe’s endgame, which had proven a bridge too far for many of racing’s stars, the combination of perfect ground and his unshakable temperament kept confidence high. His enthusiasm was certainly intact in the first furlong, where only Dar Re Mi was ahead as he adopted his sprinter-miler persona and tugged for his head before calming to Mick Kinane’s hands as he found cover. Deep in the ruck on the final turn, his veteran jockey refused to give up the rail, and after being given the office, Sea the Stars skipped around the fading pacemakers with balletic poise before cutting down the competition in ruthless fashion.
The high-class fillies Stacelita (Monsun {Ger}) and Dar Re Mi (Singspile {Ire}) were the last rivals Sea The Stars saw as he raced into the lead, and although a batch of five Group 1 winners followed him home, he proved in a different category at the line.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011 at 07:59PM 
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