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This colt blazed the racetrack in 2009 like a comet flashing a light.Arguably Sea the Stars was the most complete and perfect racehorse of all time posessing every component for the perfect thoroughbred-be it speed,stamina,temperament or confirmation.He didn’t win nor revealed the finishing burst of Dancing Brave.However none of those champions posessed as many ingredients that comprise the perfect equine thoroughbred as Sea the Stars.Above all none of those superstars equalled Sea the Star’s 6 group 1 race wins comprising the 2000 Guineas,Epsom,Derby,Eclipse,Stakes,Judamonte International and Prix del’Arc de Triomphe.He would hit the front with spectacular acceleration combined with the ease of a swan swimming.After hitting the front he would virtually relax,unlike Sea Bird or Ribot.Above all he raced against some of the finest colts like Fame to Glory,Rip Van Winkle,Conduit,Mastercraftsman or Youzmain.Fame to Glory won the Irish Derby while Conduit won the King George.Youzmain wa sthe runner up in 2 previous Arc de Triomphe races.
He won the 2000 Guineas and Epsom Derby in Characteristic style.In the Epsom Derby he accelerated in the manner of a boat sailing to cruise home to beat Fame to Glory by 1and 3/4 of a length.In the Eclipse Stakes he superbly thwarted the challenge of Rip Van Winkle.In the Juddamonte International he went into another gear to sweep past Mastercraftsman in the manner of a motor car re-started.In the Irish Champion Stakes he won in spectacular style after being boxed in on the rails.He brilliantly dissected through the field to beat Fame and Glory by 2and a half lengths.Finally in the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe he gave the most spectacular turn of foot in his entire career.He was completely boxed 3 furlongs out in in one of the most competitive Arc fields ever containing stars like Cavalryman,Da re mi,mastercraftsman and Youzmain.Like a rocket propelling into the air he blazed through the entire field to win by 2 lengths.It looked virtually an impossible task 3 furlongs out.Sea the Stars pierced through the filed like a huge cake being sliced and won with the glory of a great emperor.From the 300 to 100 metre poles he took out 5 lengths from the leader Youzmaain.Sea Bird eclipsed Sea the Stars in terms of winning distance and Dancing Brave ran after last furlong but both did not equal the kick of Dancing Brave.Above all the Stars clocked 2 mins 26.3 secs,-1.1 secs faster than Dancing Brave.After the race Racing post editor Tony Morris stated that Sea the Stars was arguably on par with Sea Bird or may even have surpassed him and Brough Scott’s comments rang similar tones.
Certain experts like John Randall do not club this great colt with Mill Reef,Sea Bird,Ribot,Dancing Brave or Nijinsky.This,is grossly unfair as it only takes into account statistical evaluations of wining margins.Never forget Sea the Stars ran the fastest time in the Eclipse for 40 years of reliable clocking.Ian Balding rated Sea the Stars even ahead of Mill Reef.On the other hand there are those that rank him even above Sea Bird 11.To me Sea the Stars displayed greater versatality but did not equal sea Bird in the manner he vanquished his opponents nor faced as great opposition.Sea the Stars also did not prove himself on both soft and firm going like Mill Reef and Ribot.However the manner in which the Stars got into gear like a racing car starting surpassed the likes of those champions and he displayed an aura of invinciblity like no other racehorse.To me the 136 rating of Racing Post and the 140 rating of timeform have underestimated this comet who gave the sport of horseracing a much needed revival.To me he should have been awarded atleast 142 by Timeform or maybe even 143.Morally he was arguably the best middle distance European racehorse after Sea Bird and Ribot and the 3rd best British racehorse of all behind Frankel and Brigadier Gerard.Sea the Stars racing as a 4 year old would have been the true test.
Over won at the top level for one season. The only negative against his name, his 3yo season was certainly majestic.
Not sure the Irish will appreciate Sea The Stars being called "British" Harshthakor. But Sea The Stars was crertainly a special racehorse who probably won’t get the plaudits deserved because of his proximity to Frankel. Timeform "140" doesn’t sound as good now, after Frankel’s maximum 147 break. However, it must be bourne in mind Sea The Stars was only the second 140+ rated since Dancing Brave and nothing had beaten 140 since Brigadier Gerard in the 70’s. Where you are wrong Harshthakor, is that Timeform do take full account of race times; but these need to be put in to perspective by going and wind direction/speed. Anyone looking at the form of the Arc can not rate Sea The Stars’s performance any better than Zarkava (hers was excellent too), they beat Youmzain by the same margin. In fact it is Sea The Stars 1m2f performance that got him the 140 rating.
Unfortunately Sea The Stars did not race on at four. With exceptional conformation it is quite possible he’d have improved on 2009 form. But as he did not stay in training can not be rated any bigger than his 3 year old form allows.
However… I do wonder whether advancements in training methods, feed and medicine have improved
ALL racehorses
. They are in my opinion faster, if not as sound. Hence why most course records have been shattered since the 1960’s, despite racing on watered (and so softer/slower) ground.
So… If all the 140+ rated horses were brought by tardis to race against each other, using training methods, feed and medicine of their OWN ERA… would a
140
of yesteryear (1900’s) really dead-heat with a
140
of 2000’s. Or is Sea The Stars a better racehorse because of his training methods, food and medicine. If on average the thoroughbred racehorse has improved 0.1 pounds per year – then Sea The Stars (Timeform 140) at his best would be the equal of Brigadier Gerard (Timeform 144) at his best. Well, within a head anyway.
Value Is EverythingHasn’t this already been done to death. Basically there are two camps, one who think he wonderful and another (including myself) who believe he is/was overrated. Not really worth going through all the arguments again.
I saw him win the Derby and the rest of the summer was brilliant. The Arc topped it off. If he isn’t great, then the word means nothing.
A great, great horse. His temperament was second to none. I’m very much in the wonderful camp. Like Nijinsky, he was never a horse who would ever put distance between him and the second: he always just did enough to get his nose in front and for me, that is the mark of a top racehorse.
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
He was exceptional, he proved everything as a three year old and didn’t have to race on as an older horse.
A beast and a proper racehorse. Twice i thought he was done for – when RVP came after him in the Eclipse and when Mastercraftsman went 2 clear in the Irish Champ.
A great looking horse though never flashy in his races. One always wondered how much was still in the locker.
Although it would have been lovely to see him at 4, his three year old record speaks for itself and he would definitely be in my top three from the 35 + years I have been watching the sport.
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
A majestic racehorse, connections never ducked a contest, raced at the highest level over 3 distances and in 3 countries; IMO the best ever.
connections never ducked a contest,
Yes they did "duck a challenge".
One possibly, NOT going to the Breeders Cup. Can personally forgive this, as his coat had reportedly gone on Arc day.
Also, the Irish Derby. Withdrawn on the day when conditions were NOT in Sea The Stars favour. On only good to yeilding pulled out of a 12f race he may not have stayed. Like Frankel, connections doing what was thought "best for the horse".
Another (at the time I was not as frustrated as some) NOT keeping Sea The Stars in training as a four year old.
Value Is EverythingYes they did "duck a challenge".
There was no challenge that John Oxx ducked, he went everywhere that a Champion 3 year old should go in Europe and was taken on by the best horses available with Ballydoyle engineering tactics to get him beat but he over come them.
Was the best of a very mediocre bunch. good, solid G1 horse but certainly doesn’t deserve to be mentioned alongside Frankel, Dancing Brave, Mill Reef, Brigadier etc…
Yes they did "duck a challenge".
he went everywhere that a Champion 3 year old should go in Europe
Really MH?
Didn’t turn up for both Irish Derby and King George. Doubtful he’d have run in the Arc either had in been soft/heavy. Sea The Stars ran where the ground was right for him. Simple as that.Value Is EverythingYes they did "duck a challenge".
he went everywhere that a Champion 3 year old should go in Europe
Really MH?
Didn’t turn up for both Irish Derby and King George. Doubtful he’d have run in the Arc either had in been soft/heavy. Sea The Stars ran where the ground was right for him. Simple as that.Quiet clearly he didn’t run "where" the ground was right for him, I believe there are a few G2 & G3 in his three year old campaign that had fast conditions they could of gone for instead unless you believe John Oxx can control the weather and I wouldn’t put it past you to actually believe that.
The win in The Eclipse defined his legacy and was more than anything he could of achieved in a King George or Irish Derby.
Rather typical that some come on here and use this thread not to extol the virtues of a great horse but to criticise another one.
Pathetic.
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
Quiet clearly he didn’t run "where" the ground was right for him, I believe there are a few G2 & G3 in his three year old campaign that had fast conditions they could of gone for instead unless you believe John Oxx can control the weather and I wouldn’t put it past you to actually believe that.
The win in The Eclipse defined his legacy and was more than anything he could of achieved in a King George or Irish Derby.
Quite clearly Sea The Stars ducking the Irish Derby due to the ground turned out to be a blessing in disguise MH. Running, and doing so well in the Eclipse. But he only ran at Sandown because connections ducked soft ground at The Curragh.
http://www.rte.ie/sport/racing/irish/20 … athestars/
Surprise surprise… Fact is John Oxx did not want Sea The Stars to race in conditions that did not suit the horse. I don’t blame him for doing so. It’s just that people seemed to think last year Sir Henry was doing something unheard of. Not wanting Frankel to race at 12 furlongs – because he thought it wouldn’t suit. Just as Dancing Brave was NOT a certain runner in the Arc until it became clear it would not be soft conditions.
Value Is Everything
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