Sea the Stars
 

... needs his own thread instead of the continual posting of updates on the Conduit thread, odds and ends, etc. :D

The latest...

http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse...ge/608492/top/

I think that's a good move on Oxx's part. The King George would have been a great race to win, but I'm not sure if that would have suited him all that well. I'm still less than convinced that a fairly stiff twelve furlongs would show him in his best light, and others have that opinion, too. Meaning that they would go an almighty gallop to hopefully see him tiring.

Over ten furlongs I feel he'd be unbeatable.

I understand the view, and missing the King George makes sense more than anything, a lesser race than it once was, but to swerve the Arc would be a great shame. They would spout the line that a soft-ground 12f wouldn't suit, whereas only 3 of the last 10 Arcs have come up on ground softer than good, and none in the last 5. In addition, Sea The Stars has proven himself over a stiff 12f already, admittedly not a well-run one, but his stamina for such a test can't, as yet, be questioned. He's already one of the best horses of recent times, still hasn't peaked, and an Arc win - the most important of races - would cap things off.

I think the issue there is the ground description, would you think? When it is called "good" at Lonchamp, it's oftn more like what us Brits would call "good to soft" and sticky. I suppose it's a big risk. If they prepare him for that and discount the other big autumn races, and it were to come up very soft, then that would be about it for his season.

I get the impression they don't want to over race him this year, with a view of keeping him in training as a four year old, when we will probably see lots more of him before he is retired at the end of next year. That's what I'm hoping anyway.

I'd love to see him go to the Breeders' Cup this year, but I just can't see it. Oxx is too much of traditionalist, one of the 'old school' and I just don't think America appeals to him.

after Rips fantastic win yesterday, it only pours more praise on Sea The Stars. He could possibly become the best flast horse I have ever seen..

http://www.sportinglife.com/story_ge...al_101533.html

Wow!

A 136!

He really is a once in a blue moon type :)

Arletta??

yeah, he is defo one to savour... I just love his whole demeanor, nothing seems to bother him before, during or after races. He is almost the perfect racehorse..

Tuesday August 18 2009
York 15:25

Juddmonte International Stakes (Group 1)
£600000.00 added, 3yo plus, 1m 2f 88y, Class 1
8 runners
Going: Good to Firm

Form Horse Age Wt Trainer Jockey OR NagMe Bet
132-213 Casual Conquest (IRE) 26 4 9-5 D K Weld 122 SP SP SP
440-101 Doctor Fremantle 40 4 9-5 Sir Michael Stoute 113 SP SP SP
1/11144 Forgotten Voice (IRE) 20 4 9-5 J Noseda 112 SP SP SP
030233 Georgebernardshaw (IRE) 15 4 9-5 A P O'Brien 105 SP SP SP
123-122 Tartan Bearer (IRE) 24 4 9-5 Sir Michael Stoute 122 SP SP SP
114-511 Mastercraftsman (IRE) 63 3 8-11 A P O'Brien 120 SP SP SP
411-111 Sea The Stars (IRE) 45 3 8-11 J M Oxx 124 SP SP SP
4-40002 Set Sail (IRE) 30 3 8-11 A P O'Brien 103 SP SP SP

http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse...ce/620370/top/

A Tuesday??????? Can anyone convert this to CST for me?

Ummm, I think it's a 9;25 in the morning your time.

Would be a massive shock if he were to be beaten here.

Tartan Bearer out...

http://www.racingpost.com/horses/home.sd

Should be an interesting 4 runner race! Sea The Stars is such an easy horse to race that he should cope with whatever way the race pans out! I was just thinking this morning if Coolmore owned Sea The Stars, would we have a walkover?

Sea the Stars keeps rolling along. Ran down Mastercraftsman to win by about a length. He's just about locked up the title of world's best horse for 2009.

It now looks like Stacelita is the value bet for the Arc if she is indeed pointed that way, you have to respect Sea the Stars anywhere he races and it will take 'the performance' to beat him if he runs to his potential in the Arc.

Here is video of her in the Prix de Diane:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilwQfVG-X5A

I don't think Sea The Stars would go to the Arc now, there is little point now that 10 furlongs has been confirmed as his optimum trick. He's been at a mile and won, he's been at 12 furlongs and won, but he looks much more comfortable at 10.

Even if he was to go to the Arc, none of the fillies would concern me at all. As I've mentioned just lately, it looks like a very weak division this year. All much of a muchness with the odd couple just being that little bit better.

Sariska is nothing out of the ordinary (in my opinion) but look how easily she won the Irish Oaks...... but what did she beat?? Same with Stacelita.

Moving back to STS, I heard he smashed the track record yesterday, and yet both Mick (Kinane) and John Oxx commented after the race that the pacemakers for Ballydoyle didn't go quick enough for him. He appears to be a freak, an absolute superstar. Which brings me onto the question...... is there anything in the world that can beat him this year?

I think it would be very hard for Sea The Stars to resist an effort in Europe's most prestigous race. Don't forget he's also out of Urban Sea a former Arc winner, pedigree should not be an issue. From what I have seen of him and that's only from whatever I can dig up on the net, he's certainly in the class of High Chapparal and maybe even better. Time will tell, undefeated Stacelita is an exciting prospect and would it really be a surprise if she can reproduce what Zarkava did? It wouldn't surprise me.

But he requires fast ground to be at his best. The last couple of years' the ground on Arc day haven't been too bad, but the norm is softish ground. There is no point prepping him for that race (ruling out any of the other top autumn races) and then the ground comes up soft.

Cape Cross throws a lot of speed into the pedigree, and judging from his Guineas win, he does have a lot of pace. Connections even said that his class probably won him the Derby, not his staying credentials.

He will also be a much better stallion if he sticks to ten furlongs. These twelve furlong horses are now deemed too slow in this modern day.

My viewpoint is I would just love to see the best horses run in the best races, I think too much emphasis is made on surfaces, type of ground, protecting one's record these days that the 'sport' of it all has somehow become lost.

These statements confuse me. What difference does it make who his sire and dam are once he's already shown he can do it? What difference does it make whether he won the race on class or credentials or even on good luck? He got it done and that's what matters. How will sticking to 10f make him any better of a stallion? If they ran him exclusivley at 12f or more for the rest of his career, would that lessen what he did at 8f and 10f? Would people forget those accomplisments? It wouldn't be a situation like Jazil, a horse that was nothing but a distance horse here and showed no speed at all. He's shown he can win a grade one at 8f so we know the speed is there if called upon.

This industry is a money making industry. The big guns don't class it as a sport any longer. There is no patience amongst breeders, they love to breed speed. Of course it matters. As soon as a horse wins over 2400m these days people deem them to be a bit slow. It isn't the case, however, that fails to alter peoples opinion in the breeding industry.

Fact is, in the modern era, these horses make more each day during the breeding season than some do in a whole career. I'd love to say it isn't about the money, but it is.

I don't believe running in the Arc would give the horse any more credentials. Connections have said time and time again that he wouldn't want it soft. As much as track conditions shouldn't be an issue, we will never get away from them. Is there any point in prepping him specifically for the Arc, the ground comes up heavy and then he is forced to miss other Autumn races because he has been campaigned for that race in mind?

On another note, with Sariska beaten yesterday (probably another ground related issue) that could just well confirm how the three year old fillies are nothing more than a mediocre bunch this year.

I get what you are trying to say but again, it's not like he hasn't proven that he indeed has speed. It would be one thing if he had broken his maiden say at 10f and had been running in 12f ever since. But he's won a grade one race at a mile. So there's no way that any breeders would see him as only a plodder who needs distance to excel. He could run in 16f races for the rest of his days and I don't see how that would take away from the fact that he still won that 8f grade one or make people think he has any less speed. Chances are, if the biggest money was in sprints and miles, he'd be trained for them and still be the best horse in the world. Breeders know he has speed no matter where else he runs for the rest of his career. As for your other reasoning as to why the Arc may not be in the cards for him, I agree with you.

Field for the Irish Champion Stakes...

http://horses.sportinglife.com/Racec...332379,00.html

(Wow why is Lord Admiral here? I love this guy. No shot against Sea the Stars of course but he's a nice old guy. :) )

Sea The Stars still a big doubt - It has the makings of a massive race with 4 G1 winners due to line up.. I should be there..

So easy... :tro:

That horse is a beast. I really hope he runs in the BC Classic. I think he'll win for fun.

NT

That would be the dream - If he went there and won, Id probably break down in tears.... I still hold out hopes that we get a Sea The Stars, Zenyatta, Rachel Alexandra match up in the classic.

It was such a delight and privilege to be at the track to witness what I saw today. He was magnificent. Ive never seen a flat horse get a reception like he did in the winner's enclosure. He is such a good looking horse..

A good review and analysis of the race can be found here. http://www.rte.ie/sport/racing/2009/...stakes_av.html
That is what was broadcast on terrestrial TV over here in Ireland

Really impressive right there.

I'm gonna have to give the nod to Sea The Stars as the most exciting thing in racing today.

Yep, one can only pray that he comes for that race, and Zenyatta and/or Rachel is in the same race as him....

Put simply he's the best Flat horse I've ever seen. We've got him at 140, which puts him on a par with Dubai Millennium (still doesn't seem right to spell it like that!) - but he achieved it at 4 in what is arguably a suspect race - and, besides that, the best since Dancing Brave. Plenty in the office, not least the time boys, maintain that Eclipse run could be as high as 145, and there's nothing I've seen in the horse to suggest that he isn't that good. Most unlikely to see another one in a long time, so let's just hope that he proves it in the Arc; pushing for a Breeders' Cup run/4-y-o career, I suspect, will be wishing for too much! Let's hope, either way.


Of course, he's not a patch on Kauto Star!!

What's the news on him for the Arc? I sure hope he goes...

How about a little shout out for Urban Sea the broodmare.

Fame and Glory ran a pretty good race, made an early move and I can see him improving significantly over a NA style track in the BC if he comes over this year.

Congrats in advance to Mr. Christopher Tsui (of Hong Kong!). :tro:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/4...wner_ap766.jpg

Where does he rate, historically?

I've only followed racing since 2004 and to most (myself included) this is clearly the best horse in training in the world.

I'd love to hear thoughts from those of you who have followed the game for a long time.

Is he up there with the greatest? Is he the greatest? Who is to you (historically) and why?

Certainly a horse you have to remember and be in awe of!

I don't like to compare horses of different generations to each other in my imagination. Exercise in futility for me :) I just like to enjoy them when they are here.

The Arc replay:

http://france-galop.empreinte.com/20...hp?lang=en&the
meid=4&ref=http://www.prixarcdetriomphe.com/indexEN.html

I really don't either and could never stand those Curlin Vs. fill in the blank from 30 years ago kinda threads but I'm really curious if the old timers feel he's up there with the greatest of all time. :)

I really want to "see" the stars in Los Angeles................:tro:

Hope so!

Well, I'm pretty old :D The first TV race I remember seeing is Dancer's Image-Forward Pass KY Derby.

When you get goosebumps following them along their careers, and they run like that on the big day - yes, he's up there in my book, at least!

One good thing about the internet - you can search YouTube, and have tons of (even rare) historical racing footage at your fingertips.

He's a freak.

I was concerned yesterday, as I wasn't sure his stamina would hold up over the Arc distance when they usually go fast and you need ever ounce of stamina....... once again, they went fast, but not fast enough for him.

The racing post said they went 4 seconds faster than the standard time, and yet Sea The Stars was still pulling for his head. If they could find a group of horses that could go quick enough for him, he'd probably be even more impressive.

It's the fact that he travelled better than some sprinters in the Guineas, showed too much class in the Derby and has beaten every Gr1 class horse that Europe has to offer.

He beat a world class Eclipse field and that form has worked out very well.

Just brilliant.