Oxx: speed was the key
The Cape Cross colt enjoyed an incredible season including victories in the 2000 Guineas, the Derby at Epsom and most recently the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but connections opted against letting him have one final foray in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
“They have all been major races and every one was important in its own right,” Oxx said.
“You win the Guineas and you win the Derby and the anxiety builds up as the year goes on, so every race brought tremendous relief when it was over.
“The way he ran in the Derby was a joy to watch, the way he handled the track and came down the hill.
“After that the horse developed a great public following and everyone quickly recognised they were watching something special.
“His success was down to a combination of everything, but the main thing is his speed.
“He has tremendous cruising speed. Ballydoyle and Aidan O’Brien tried their best to make it tough for him with pacemakers, but they could never get him off the bridle.
“He can just travel off any pace totally at ease and then he can quicken up off it.
“I suppose he’s got great heart and lungs, but he’s got this beautiful balance and lovely stride.
“He’s a close-coupled horse in one way but very long in another and he has this tremendous athletic stride.
“Then there is his temperament and it is courage and temperament that bring the good horses to a different level,” said Oxx.
The three-year-old lost just one of his nine races during his two years on the track - in which he amassed nearly €4.5million in prize money - and that was his racecourse debut at the Curragh where he finished a close-up fourth.
He then won his maiden on unfavourably soft ground before landing the Grade Two Beresford Stakes, hinting at what was to come this year.
Sent off at 8-1 for the Guineas at Newmarket, he beat hot favourite Delegator by a length and a half and became the first horse since Nashwan 20 years ago to follow up in the Derby, where he beat Fame And Glory by a length and three-quarters.
The Eclipse was next at Sandown where he beat subsequent Sussex Stakes and QEII winner Rip Van Winkle, with St Leger and Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Conduit way back in third.
At York in the Juddmonte International, he scared everyone bar O’Brien away to make it four Group Ones in a row and followed up in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, beating old rival Fame And Glory.
But his crowning glory came at Longchamp when he landed Europe’s premier middle-distance race, overcoming trouble in running and a high-class field to win eased-down in the Arc.
His performance sparked comparisons with the likes of Dancing Brave, Mill Reef and Sea Bird.
Although no definitive answer will ever be reached, one thing is for sure – it will be a long time before we see his like again.
Oxx earlier confirmed that Sea The Stars will not take part in the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita on November 7.
“He’s had a long season and has been in regular fast work from March 3, with his final workout on October 2. He’s been in intensive training for seven months with only a three-week break after the Eclipse Stakes at the beginning of July. We feel it is unfair to keep him going any further given his unprecedented record of achievement in the last six months.
“He’s come out of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in his usual good form. He is fit and healthy and has been cantering since the race.
“He is now retiring from racing, but I have no information on stud career details and an announcement will be made at a much later date when plans have been finalised.”
Kieren Fallon got closer to Sea The Stars than most have this season when second on Youmzain in the Arc, and he admitted to mixed feelings about his retirement.
“I would have loved to have seen him race in America (Breeders’ Cup) and they were dying to see him over there too,” said Fallon.
“He’s done nothing wrong this year and I think it was a great training performance to take him all the way to the Arc as a three-year-old because to me he looked like a big baby and there looked to be plenty more to come.
“It was a great ride by Mick (Kinane) in the Arc, he took the brave man’s route up the inner, I was following him and I played it safe and went on the outside but he went the shortest way and won.
“It was great and he’s been a thorn in Aidan O’Brien’s side all season, they’ve tried everything to beat him but it just goes to show how good the horse was,” he said.
