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INTERNATIONAL DIARY NOVEMBER 1, 2009 Throughout history, the celestial realm has been viewed as the abode of surpassing excellence. "They that are learned shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that instruct many to justice, as stars for all eternity," as the Book of Daniel expresses it in the Judeo-Christian tradition. In the pagan Roman world, the appearance of a comet following the assassination of Julius Caesar was thought to be his deified soul, blazing his trail toward the gods. In our own time, our lexicon bristles with such words as "star," "stellar," "heavenly," and "other-worldly" to describe the exceptionally good. With this in mind, it now seems a matter of destiny that SEA THE STARS (Cape Cross [Ire]) has lived up to the loftiest implications of his name. By concluding his career with a triumph in the October 4 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1), Sea the Stars has added the one important item previously missing from his resume -- a victory over older horses at 1 1/2 miles. Not only did he answer that question, but the John Oxx colt did so in emphatic style after adversity that would have wrecked the hopes of a lesser horse. Sea the Stars broke sharply and found himself alongside a Ballydoyle pacemaker in the opening strides. When Mick Kinane eased him back into a ground-saving spot off the pace, the all-conquering champion began to pull fiercely, perhaps the hardest he has ever pulled in the early going. That alone would have posed a concern, but in addition, Sea the Stars was shuffled back further in the field. From the pan shot, it appeared that he was jostled and bumped, and for an instant, I was afraid that he might slam into the rail. A horrible thought flashed across my mind: "Everything's going wrong for him; if he can't overcome this brutal trip, he'll have plenty of valid excuses, and we'll never know if he would have passed this test." Sea the Stars saved us from that worst of all endings -- the ambiguous, inconclusive, and ultimately unknowable -- by overcoming those early trials with his typical panache. Straightening up into the stretch, as STACELITA (Monsun) overtook the exhausted rabbits, and DAR RE MI (GB) (Singspiel [Ire]) challenged her, Sea the Stars commenced his startling rally. The royally-bred bay once again showed his speed and agility by diving through a gap along the inside. In a few strides, as the entire field was quickening, he accelerated even faster to reach contention, his brilliance equaled only by his characteristic nonchalance about it all. Sea the Stars' lightning-quick move made his rivals look downright ordinary. Once Sea the Stars had charged onto Stacelita's heels, the outcome was a foregone conclusion. He angled out, split the fillies Stacelita and Dar Re Mi, and strode two lengths clear, flashing his "ears up" signal as he crossed the wire. The beauty of his victory was that it left no room for quibbling. Sea the Stars stayed more than every yard of the trip, for he actually kicked away again when a rival came near him on the gallop-out. Perennial bridesmaid YOUMZAIN (Sinndar) barreled home late to grab runner-up honors for the third straight year. As a one-run closer, the Mick Channon charge doesn't have tactical options, and he did as well as could have been expected. The six-year-old will now head to the December 13 Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1), and he will stay in training for a fourth tilt at the Arc. Youmzain got up in a three-way photo in the Arc, besting the three-year-old CAVALRYMAN (Halling) by a head, with CONDUIT (Ire) (Dalakhani) finishing strongly another head back in fourth. Dar Re Mi ran a tremendous race to hold on for fifth, especially considering that she was forwardly placed in the main body of the field throughout, following the pacemakers. (I'll be writing more about Conduit and Dar Re Mi in an upcoming Breeders' Cup feature.) Cavalryman, hero of the Grand Prix de Paris (Fr-G1) and Prix Niel (Fr-G2), turned in the best performance by a sophomore not named Sea the Stars. Despite breaking from the dreadful post 19, and stalking early, the Andre Fabre colt kept on in determined fashion. In the process, Cavalryman continued the potent trend of Niel winners doing well in the Arc. Plans call for him to join the Godolphin banner in 2010, when he may light up the inaugural Dubai World Cup night at the Meydan facility. The biggest disappointment of the Arc was sixth-place finisher FAME AND GLORY (Montjeu [Ire]), who raced evenly most of the way and never threatened. Stacelita tired inside the final furlong and checked in seventh, dead-heating with the unheralded longshot LA BOUM (Monsun). Of the remainder, the most notable was VISION D'ETAT (Chichicastenango), who wilted to 10th. Vision d'Etat was in the hunt in the stretch before Sea the Stars shot past him. Ironically, he was similarly humbled in the 2008 Arc, when he was in the vicinity of Zarkava before she dusted him. He had stayed on better last year, finishing fifth, but his stamina cracked this time at a fast-run 12 furlongs. Trainer Eric Libaud has mentioned that he will cut back to 1 1/4 miles for the December 13 Hong Kong Cup (HK-G1), and judging by his successes in the 2008 Prix du Jockey-Club (French Derby) (Fr-G1) and the 2009 Prince of Wales's S. (Eng-G1) at similar trips, he should be a prime contender. Stacelita is another who couldn't see out the trip in a fast-run Arc, but this season's Prix de Diane (French Oaks) (Fr-G1) heroine turned in a high-caliber effort for the first 11 furlongs. The Jean-Claude Rouget filly raced at the head of the main body of the field throughout, with only the rabbits in front of her, and she stormed into the lead proper in the stretch. Stacelita figures to be a major player in the top-tier 10-furlong events next year, and I'd love to see her try something like the Prince of Wales's, Eclipse S. (Eng-G1), or Juddmonte International (Eng-G1) because she's world-class. She'd be well worth another try at 1 1/2 miles too, as long as the early pace weren't too fast. After all, she was just collared by Dar Re Mi in the Prix Vermeille (Fr-G1) at the Arc course and distance two back (and was subsequently awarded the victory upon the outrageous disqualification of Dar Re Mi). Fame and Glory had no such excuse in the Arc, for the race was run to suit him, but the Aidan O'Brien colt did not keep up his end of the bargain. There are two ways to read this performance: either he was flattered by his previous efforts, especially his romp in the Irish Derby (Ire-G1), or he simply ran below par in the Arc. I think it's too soon to render a definitive verdict, but at the moment, I'd incline toward the idea that he's off form. In a surprisingly quick return in the October 17 Champion S. (Eng-G1) at Newmarket, Fame and Glory came under pressure early and toiled home sixth again (more on the Champion below). This was not the same horse who chased home Sea the Stars at Epsom, or even the one he swept past in the Irish Champion S. (Ire-G1). Given his lackluster displays of late, it's just as well that he isn't coming for the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1). Sea the Stars has now completed his golden season as the first horse ever to sweep the Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1), Derby (Eng-G1) and Arc, a triple that eluded such luminaries as Nijinsky II, Mill Reef and Dancing Brave. Remarkably, he has not merely coped with the rigors of the season, but he thrived on them and gained strength from them. Like a statesman who grows in office, rising to meet the challenges of his time, Sea the Stars scaled heights that few could have predicted at the start of the year. Remember, as recently as April, he was just one of a number of classic contenders -- promising, to be sure, but not reportedly supposed to be the stuff of greatness. Six months later, Sea the Stars has joined the immortals. I'll resist the temptation to turn this into a year-in-review piece, saving that kind of retrospective for my third annual Reilly Turf Awards, but will wrap up the Arc by returning to our opening theme about the symbolism of stars. Sea the Stars has conquered his opponents handily without crushing them mercilessly, and off the course, he has shown a well-ordered, calm, and kindly temperament even when besieged by his most ardent fans. For these reasons, it may not be out of place to comment that Sea the Stars has excelled according to both the Judeo-Christian view, which prizes moral achievement, and the Roman view, which honors political/military success. While it would have been fascinating to watch how Sea the Stars might have fared as a four-year-old, facing the cream of the next crop, I agree with the decision to retire him to stud. Short-term, of course, we fans will keenly feel his absence and wonder how next year's classic crop would have measured up against him. Taking a long-term view, however, there's a fiduciary responsibility to the breed. A horse of such magnificent gifts, and no visible flaw, could exert a profound influence at stud. Keeping him in training, and racing him at four, would necessarily entail risks. Sea the Stars has been sound as a bell, but how often have we heard that about a horse who ultimately suffers a tragic mishap? Rather than risk something going amiss, the Tsui family has chosen wisely to retire him now, and safeguard his future as a potentially breed-shaping stallion. Furthermore, lest anyone contend that money was at the root of this decision, remember that the Aga Khan retired his homebred filly Zarkava in similar circumstances one year ago -- no stallion value at issue there, just safely retiring her to his broodmare band so that her exquisite bloodlines could be passed on to ensuing generations. Nor am I disappointed that Sea the Stars will not appear in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Why should he have to prove himself on an alien surface, an entire ocean and continent away, after he reigned supreme in Europe? Is there any doubt that he's sewn up the title of "world champion" already? The Classic has developed into America's championship race, with significant international flair, but it does not have the history or cache of the races that Sea the Stars has already won. Indeed, the Arc was a glorious exclamation point; what pressing need was there to follow it up? Sea the Stars will have an able representative, so to speak, in the Classic in RIP VAN WINKLE (Ire) (Galileo [Ire]). The O'Brien colt was a sneakily-good fourth to Sea the Stars in both the Guineas and Derby, and he threw down a real challenge in the Eclipse S. (Eng-G1) before Sea the Stars brushed him aside in stakes-record time. Had Sea the Stars stayed home for the Irish Derby, instead of going to the Eclipse, "Rip" would have been a devastating winner by 4 1/2 lengths over Conduit. If Rip prevails in the Classic, it can be read as a victory by proxy for Sea the Stars. Also Breeders' Cup Classic-bound is Juddmonte Farms' homebred TWICE OVER (GB) (Observatory), who captured the aforementioned Champion over 1 1/4 miles at Newmarket last time out. Reserved off the pace, the Henry Cecil charge rallied into contention and stayed on resolutely to score by a half-length from an unlucky MAWATHEEQ (Danzig), with Oaks (Eng-G1) victress SARISKA (Pivotal) a solid third at a distance short of her best. Mawatheeq, who was cutting back in trip after taking the 1 1/2-mile Cumberland Lodge S. (Eng-G3), would have finished even closer with clear sailing. The regally-bred four-year-old was making a bold move before being squeezed back when Twice Over drifted out. Mawatheeq lost momentum as he had to angle to the left of Twice Over. Nevertheless, he regrouped quickly and was closing the gap approaching the wire. An objection was lodged against Twice Over, but the stewards allowed the result to stand. Other jurisdictions may have reached a different verdict. Twice Over was finally fulfilling his early promise after losing his way a bit. A narrow winner over eventual Breeders' Cup Classic hero Raven's Pass in last year's Craven S. (G3), he was third to Henrythenavigator and Raven's Pass in the St. James's Palace S. (Eng-G1) and ended his sophomore campaign with a distant runner-up effort in the 2008 Champion, which New Approach won in grand style in course-record time. Earlier this year, Twice Over had come close a couple of times in top-level company, beaten all of a half-length when third in the Lockinge S. (Eng-G1) and tiring to fourth very late in the Prince of Wales's at Royal Ascot. The bay returned on relatively short rest in the Eclipse and never landed a blow in seventh. Cecil freshened him thereafter and gave him class relief in his next two starts, resulting in confidence-boosting wins. Twice Over was trained to the minute for the Champion and duly delivered, thrusting him unexpectedly into the Breeders' Cup picture. My upcoming Breeders' Cup features will include more analysis of recent European developments. With the curtain coming down on the European Flat season, the International Diary will go into winter quarters, to return next spring when the European classics are in full swing. The center of gravity now shifts to the other side of the globe. Following the Melbourne Cup (Aus-G1), on Monday night U.S. time, the year's final major events will take place in Japan and Hong Kong. Japan's Autumn International Series comprises the November 15 Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup (Jpn-G1), the November 22 Mile Championship (Jpn-G1), the November 29 Japan Cup (Jpn-G1) and the December 6 Japan Cup Dirt (Jpn-G1). As has become customary, the December 13 Hong Kong International Races promise to end 2009 with a bang, and in early 2010, all eyes will be fixed upon the Dubai International Racing Carnival at Meydan.
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