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I would describe myself as a dedicated and knowledgeable fan of international racing. Like many, I gained immense pleasure watching Sea The Stars win in imperious fashion today at Longchamp, completing perhaps the greatest 3yo season of any thoroughbred in history.
However, I found myself disturbed at the immediate focus of whether this champion of champions would race in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. By that I mean, not in the sense of one more opportunity to see this excellent racehorse compete again, but more so in the tone that the Classic was perhaps a more prestigious event and Sea The Stars needed to go there to truly prove himself.
It’s something that I’ve noticed before, for example that Sakhee was remembered chiefly by his failure to beat Tiznow in the Classic, rather than his terrific display in winning the Arc by a record-equaling six lengths. This despite it being a race held several time zones away, at the beginning of winter, and on a surface that would never be considered for said horse in Europe. Is there a feeling that Sakhee produced just as equal a performance in the US as he did in Paris?
Is this concern misplaced, or do others agree that the Arc has lost some of its sheen due to both the marketing and timing of the Breeders’ Cup, and that this of course is regrettable?
The Americans have a habit of thinking the best in their country equates to the best in the world. Give me the Arc over the BC any day of the week, especially as it will be ran on dirt next year. The bookies are just trying to get some ante post money by talking as if it is definetly running.
I’m not sure I really want him to go to the Breeders Cup. I’m not sure exactly why but I just felt today that there was a sense of completeness.
The BC has make the Euros make more of an effort regarding Arc day. Nowadays the Arc meeting hold similar races too the BC and too my mind is the autumn championship day of Europe. The BC made the French get their act together and make the Arc a real championship day.
The BC is not the world thoroughbred champion by any strech, its a north american one with a few euros coming over too play.
I don’t think it matters if Sea The Stars runs in the Breeders Cup. Most of the challenge has gone anyway with the surface switch for the Classic.
Commentators commentate on the here and now.
They are not concerned with abstracts such as prestige, nor even last week, nor half an hour ago.
Have people not been discussing whether SoS would run in the Arc all season? Did the Arc not have 19 contestants and some of the very best thoroughbreds in the turf World? That is the measure of any races’ prestige. Is the BC not just an afterthought for SoS running on an AW dogtrack?
Even the blinkered US fans have lost some interest in BC as it is running on "fake dirt".============================
Coral trimmed Sea The Stars to 4-5 at the head of the Breeders’ Cup Classic market, but Kinane dropped the biggest hint yet that California will be one step too many.
He added: "His coat has gone and he has got hairy. He got warm today as he is getting his winter rug on. I don’t know what John and the owners have in mind, but what he has achieved now is phenomenal.
"Does he need to achieve any more? I don’t know."
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http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/news … G_Arc.html
on that basis, i would be surprised if he goes.
the BC needs him a lot more than he needs the BC.
if he of all horses doesn’t go to the BC, imo that will speak volumes for the BC having done nothing to the Arc.
best regards
wit
I think they will put him away, then again i thought the chances of him turning up in both the Irish and the Arc were very slim. Kinane’s comments were :-
"His coat has gone. He’s got hairy today and you can see he got warm,"
Would STS fans really want him to turn up ? i’m a fan and i’m beginning to lean towards the ‘No’ side of things.
just to add this from the SCMP:
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…It was an emotional victory for Tsui, who had as a child watched Urban Sea win for his parents, and the trainer that day Jean Lesbordes accompanied him to the podium to accept the trophy for the richest turf race in the world.
"I really never dreamed that I would one day stand here at Longchamp and see my colours aboard an Arc de Triomphe winner. Its a very emotional moment," said Tsui.
He also revealed that contrary to popular perception the reason he was always linked up to an iPhone was not that he was listening to music. "It’s for my mother back in Hong Kong because neither she nor my father ever come racing out of superstition," he said. "I speak her through the race!"
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if ever there was a family that wanted to boost the Arc, it is the Tsuis.
…which is not to say the Americans haven’t already been trying to get STS to the BC – or am I reading too much into the report that it was San Francisco that the HK-based owner arrived from to Paris ?
…which is not to say the Americans haven’t already been trying to get STS to the BC –
The Breeders’ Cup had Bo Derek at Longchamp, acting as an ambassador for them.
http://www.theracingforum.co.uk/horse-racing-forum/chat/img/emoticons/razz.png
The Breeders’ Cup, and other races such as the Japan Cup, seem to have had a greater affect on the King George and the Eclipse, as the focus is now on an autumn campaign.
To my eyes your talented boy will improve further given a winter’s rest but has had quite enough for this year.You will hardly need reminding that Urban Sea won the Arc as a 4yo and a G2 as a 5yo
Likewise I’m sure you’re quite aware that Cape Cross flourished at 4 and 5
The hocus-pocus hubble-bubble-toil-and-trouble looking-through-a-glass-darkly that is breeding hardly guarantees Sea The Stars will emulate the upward curve his parents displayed as elders,
but the potential is there
Flat racing is suffocating; he is the kiss-of-life
Can’t help but feel that trainer and jockey would not want to go to America, but the owner would. Only supposition but, if I was him I wouldn’t want this season to end and I would want to have yet another wonderful day like yesterday. I’ve never seen Sea the Stars so hot after a race and I’m sure it took a lot out of him; personally , I don’t want him to go. This horse would run his heart out wherever he goes. I’d hate to have him remembered as having lost a race in America;on a world stage it would look as if he wasn’t as good as everyone thought, and we know better than that.
I don’t think he’ll travel to California and like Corm, I kind of hope he doesn’t- it would be hard to take if he ran below form there and the yanks were knocking him.
As for running at 4, you can have 20-1 with me Drone, I just hope he stands at the Irish National Stud- they’ll have to take bookings for people to see him!
…but wouldn’t it be niceNot up to speed with collateral form ratings on the Flat these days so no idea what he’s ‘run to’ this season but given a successful 4yo campaign I’d like to think he could prove himself worthy of comparison with Brigadier Gerard who, for me, was the greatest Flat horse ever
the sport is king
I’m not sure I really want him to go to the Breeders Cup. I’m not sure exactly why but I just felt today that there was a sense of completeness.
Absolutely agree with you there – he has nothing more to prove this year and I don’t see the point of sending him halfway round the world for some meaningless race.
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