Sea the Stars blazes to Arc immortality

Sea the Stars overcame adversity to remain perfect in 2009 (Frank Sorge/Horsephotos.com) Christopher Tsui's homebred SEA THE STARS (Cape Cross [Ire]) confirmed his status as Europe's greatest performer in a generation with an electrifying victory in Sunday's €4 million Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) at Longchamp. Despite pulling hard in the early stages, being shuffled back in the field and hemmed in along the fence for much of the way, the John Oxx trainee was far too good for his rivals. Under a well-judged ride by regular partner Mick Kinane, Sea the Stars employed his trademark acceleration to find a gap in the stretch, stormed past the sophomore filly Stacelita (Monsun) and drove clear to win with supreme authority. Sea the Stars completed 1 1/2 miles on the good turf in 2:26.30, advancing his career record to eight-for-nine and doubling his bankroll to £4,417,163. In the process, Sea the Stars emulated his dam, Urban Sea (Miswaki), who won the Arc in 1993. Urban Sea now ranks as the second Arc heroine to produce an Arc winner, following Detroit (Fr) (Riverman), the 1980 Arc queen who foaled 1994 Arc hero Carnegie (Ire).

Two lengths adrift of the world champion came the late-running Youmzain

(Sinndar), who was finishing runner-up in the Arc for the third straight year.

Cavalryman (Halling), forwardly placed in the main body of the field throughout,

checked in a head behind Youmzain in third.

Conduit (Ire) (Dalakhani) reported

home another head back in fourth, with the four-year-old filly Dar Re Mi (Singspiel [Ire]) winding up

fifth in the 19-horse field. Fame and Glory (Montjeu [Ire]), who had chased Sea

the Stars home in the Derby (Eng-G1) and Irish Champion S. (Ire-G1), was unable

to capitalize on the breakneck pace set by his rabbits, and the Aidan O'Brien

colt finished a one-paced sixth.

Completing the order of finish were La Boum (Monsun), Stacelita, Magadan

(High Chaparral [Ire]), Vision d'Etat (Chichicastenango), Tangaspeed (Vertical

Speed), Beheshtam (Peintre Celebre), Getaway (Monsun), The Bogberry (Hawk Wing),

Hot Six (Burooj), Tullamore (Theatrical [Ire]), the pacemakers Grand Ducal (Danehill

Dancer) and Set Sail (Danehill Dancer), and the tailed-off Steele Tango (Okawango).

"(My heart) is still beating fairly slow, I think," Oxx, who saddled

Sinndar to victory in the 2000 Arc, joked to PA Sport. "It's wonderful that it's over -- it's just

a great relief.

"It's wonderful that he's come through it. He was in a nice position and he

just had to step up the gears a bit to get out.

"Mick would not panic because this horse has the gears. That's what any

jockey will tell you, if the horse has the speed and the gears he will get

himself out of trouble."

Kinane admitted that Sea the Stars did not have the easiest of trips.

"I ended up in a position I maybe didn't want to, but I didn't want to risk

firing him up," said the veteran jockey, who had guided previous Arc heroes

Montjeu (Ire) (1999) and Carroll House (1989).

"They were going a nice pace and I knew I would need a bit of luck in the

straight, no matter what happened, but I knew I had the pace to go anywhere I

wanted.

"He exceptional -- he's just a phenomenal, rare horse," Kinane summed up.

"He's just the best," Tsui marveled about his colt. "It's unbelievable and a

great feeling. I was a little worried at one point as I saw him coming back

through the field. I didn't see everything too well but he suddenly dashed

forward and then hit the front.

"I was here for Urban Sea's victory in the Arc in 1993 with Mr. (Jean)

Lesbordes (Urban Sea's trainer) and my father and was only about 12 years old at

the time. This experience is very different but does bring back good memories.

"I was quite sure he was going to run in the Arc as I bought my tickets quite

early! This race is important to me and my family on an emotional level as this

is where everything started 16 years ago."

With the Arc as his crown jewel, Sea the Stars has strung together an

unprecedented sequence of victories during his perfect three-year-old campaign.

Successful in the Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) at Newmarket in early May, the

bay glided to glory in the Derby at Epsom in June, captured the Eclipse

S. (Eng-G1) over older horses in stakes-record time at Sandown in July, got up

in time in the Juddmonte International S. (Eng-G1) in course-record time at York

in August, and landed the Irish Champion at Leopardstown in grand

style in September.

Sea the Stars' lone career defeat came in his

debut as a juvenile, when he experienced traffic trouble en route to a

fourth-place finish. He duly broke his maiden next time out and concluded his

two-year-old season with a score in the Beresford S. (Ire-G2).

Sea the Stars' dam, French highweight Urban Sea, captured such notable events

as the Prix d'Harcourt (Fr-G2), Prix Gontaut Biron (Fr-G3) and Prix Exbury

(Fr-G3) in addition to the Arc. She has been even more outstanding as a

broodmare, with all eight of her runners earning black type. Her first foal,

Urban Ocean (Bering [GB]), was an Irish highweight and Group 3 winner. Next came

English stakes queen Melikah (Ire) (Lammtarra), runner-up in the Irish Oaks

(Ire-G1) and third in the Oaks (Eng-G1) at Epsom. Galileo (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) reigned as Europe's

champion three-year-old of 2001 after garnering the Derby, Irish Derby (Ire-G1)

and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. (Eng-G1).

Galileo's younger brother, Black Sam Bellamy (Sadler's Wells), earned Italian

highweight status by virtue of his score in the 2002 Gran Premio del Jockey Club

(Ity-G1), and in 2003 he added the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Ire-G1) to his resume. Galileo

and Black Sam Bellamy's full sister, All Too Beautiful (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), was an

English Group 3 heroine and runner-up in the 2004 Oaks at Epsom. Urban Sea's

next foal, eight-time stakes victress My Typhoon (Ire) (Giant's Causeway), raced

exclusively in the United States, with her signature victory coming in the 2007

Diana S. (G1) at Saratoga. That same season, her maiden half-sister Cherry

Hinton (Green Desert) placed in an Irish Group 3 affair. Urban Sea died in early

March from complications after foaling an Invincible Spirit colt.

Urban Sea is herself a half-sister to King's Best (Kingmambo), hero of the

Two Thousand Guineas in 2000, as well as French Group 3 queen Allez Les Trois (Riverman),

the dam of Prix du Jockey-Club (French Derby) (Fr-G1) winner Anabaa Blue

(Anabaa). This is also the family of Tamayuz (Nayef), who won last year's Prix

Jacques le Marois (Fr-G1) and Prix Jean Prat (Fr-G1).

Oxx was noncommittal about a possible tilt at the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1)

on the Pro-Ride at Santa Anita.

"He's done a lot this year and we take it race by race with him," the

horseman said. "We will let the dust settle and now is not the time to make a

decision about the Breeders' Cup which is on November 7.

"We will see how the horse is and then decide. To have got as far as the Arc

is a lot to be thankful for. I can't see him staying in training next year, but

we haven't discussed it."

Reigning Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) hero Conduit is on course for a title

defense.

"The champion beat everyone again, but we are delighted with (Conduit's) run

and the Breeders' Cup will be on the agenda again, provided he comes out of this

alright," said Conduit's trainer Sir Michael Stoute.

John Gosden, trainer of Dar Re Mi, also mentioned that the Breeders' Cup

could be next.

"I'm very proud of her," Gosden said. "She ran the best of all the fillies

and mares to finish fifth behind the champion of champions. She ran a blinder

and we're thrilled to be here at this magnificent meeting. She was only beaten

three lengths by Sea the Stars. She's in the Breeders' Cup and we may well go

there."