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SEA THE STARS: The STALLION of a LIFETIME









SEA THE STARS became a legend in 2009 by winning six Group 1 races in-a-row within only six months time. After his amazing racing career was over, he was entrusted to the Aga Khan Studs Gilltown Stud in Ireland to stand for his stallion career. This documentary shows the wonderful start and early success SEA THE STARS has had in his stud career.
It is said that perfection is not a destination but rather a never-ending process. When Ling Tsui and her family enjoyed success at the highest level with their race mare, URBAN SEA, they could never have imagined what a journey she would bring them on and that journey continues today. In October 1993, URBAN SEA raced to victory in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe considered the pinnacle of the racing year in Europe. Victory earned her champion status and an opportunity to be mated with some of the best stallions at stud; success was to breed success. In the history of Thoroughbred racing, only eight mares worldwide have ever produced four or more Group 1 winners - URBAN SEA is one of them; not only that but all of URBAN SEA's nine sons and daughters to race have become stakes performers making her a candidate to be considered the most successful broodmare of all time. URBAN SEA's extraordinary influence continues to grow and two of her sons have established themselves among the best in the world. 2001 Epsom Derby winner, GALILEO's record as a sire is beyond compare. Eight years after GALILEO's birth, the Tsui family welcomed a son of CAPE CROSS into the world in 2006 at the National Stud in Ireland, the foal was to become, quite simply...the horse of a lifetime. Possessed of all the qualities of a champion he was the son of two outstanding parents, the sibling to three Group 1 winners, a pedigree packed with quality; URBAN SEA's son was also physically outstanding. That foal lived up to the Tsui family's expectations and was appropriately named, SEA THE STARS. What this magnificent Thoroughbred went on to achieve on the racecourse was a tribute to his background, his upbringing, the superb handling of those involved with him, his temperament and to his talent.
As a three-year-old in 2009, SEA THE STARS carried all before him demonstrating exceptional ability to win six Group 1 races in six consecutive months over distances ranging from a mile to 12 furlongs. He beat the best of his generation and of previous generations; 16 years after URBAN SEA had thrilled the racing world with her victory in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, SEA THE STARS emulated his dam with his own breathtaking performance at Longchamp in the colors of Ling's son, Christopher Tsui. SEA THE STARS was not only crowned champion of the world but he was hailed as one of the greatest Thoroughbred racehorses ever to have graced the turf...he was quite simply perfection as a racehorse.
The whole world was clammering to stand SEA THE STARS at stud; the stallion is owned entirely by the Tsui family who considered his next career carefully finally deciding to stand him in Ireland at the Aga Khan's world-renowned Gilltown Stud. The ease with which SEA THE STARS made the transition from the racecourse to the breeding shed says much about his temperament and he has proven to be exceptionally fertile in his new role. Mares of the highest caliber traveled from every continent to be mated with SEA THE STARS and expectations were high for his progeny - he was not to disappoint. SEA THE STARS' first foals and yearlings at the sales made headlines providing the sale topper on a number of occasions in Ireland and England. In every sense SEA THE STARS is transmitting his best qualities to his offspring siring stock with excellent conformation, ability and very importantly his great temperament. SEA THE STARS' early stud record bears comparison with that of his world champion sibling, GALILEO, at the same point in their careers with two classic and three Group 1 winners in his first two crops, SEA THE STARS is a leading sire of his generation. His winners to runners ratio is more than 52%, while he has almost 19% stakes horses to runners - that is nearly 1 in 5 of his starters. His son SEA THE MOON won the Group 1 German Derby and his daughter TAGHROODA followed her English Oaks win with a stunning display in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes against older horses. Two other sons of SEA THE STARS have been classic-placed, while his daughter VAZIRA provided the Aga Khan with a Group 1 success. To date no fewer than 30 sons and daughters have earned blacktype.
An additional chapter to the URBAN SEA story is being written by her final foal, BORN TO SEA, the classic-placed half-brother to SEA THE STARS. Owned entirely by the Tsui family, BORN TO SEA has now joined his illustrious brother at Gilltown Stud. His first-crop foals sold exceptionally well in 2014 averaging more than five times his stud fee.
The decision to stand SEA THE STARS in Ireland cemented the love affair that Lind Tsui and her family have had with the country and now breeders in the southern hemisphere are using this ultra-fertile stallion. It is certain that his burgeoning influence will extend even further in the years to come. The future is full of possibilities for SEA THE STARS as he continues to climb the ladder of success. Spurred on by the deep belief that Ling Tsui had in the champion mare, URBAN SEA, and continued by the passion of her son Christopher for SEA THE STARS, the dream that became a reality in the hands of John Oxx and Michael Kinane on the racecourse now endures in the breeding shed at Gilltown Stud in Ireland....the dream continues.
(23 Minutes)
Listing Info: | |
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Listing ID: | 1578 |
Format(s) Available: | DVD And VHS |
Category: | European Flat Racing |