SEA THE STARS RETIREMENT TURNS BREEDERS CUP CLASSIC UPSIDE DOWN

Respected trainer John Oxx announced that one of the greatest flat horses of the modern era is headed for retirement. Sea the Stars, who won nearly everything there is to win, will stand at stud for what is believed to be a lifetime net worth of over £100,000,000. The Christopher Tsui-owned Irish runner was the 8/13 favourite in the ante post market for the 2009 Breeders Cup Classic at Santa Anita racecourse. Sea the Stars has been compared to Usain Bolt in terms of prestige and drawing power. This was truly a special horse that will live long in the memory of flat racing fans everywhere. He was the winner of the 2000 Guineas and the Epsom Derby, as well as the Coral Eclipse and the Juddmonte International at York. He then pulled off one of the most famous victories in recent years by winning the Prix de L'Arc De Triomphe after getting into some real trouble in the race. The retirement means that the 2009 Breeders Cup Classic, already without American superstar filly Rachel Alexandra, will be lacking a bit of star power. We've already seen Rip Van Winkle installed at Ladbrokes as the 3.0 favourite in the ante post market. Undefeated left-coast filly Zenyatta is listed at 5.0 and we've also seen a price reduction for my pick for the 2009 Breeders Cup Summer Bird, who is available at 7.0. There is a still a very impressive field available and some of the highlights include Gio Ponti, the turf specialist, who I actually don't think will run in the Classic. He's available at 13.0, Einstein certainly comes in with plenty of fans and plenty of hype and his 26.0 price is a bit lengthy for me. I think Quality Road is under-priced at 13.0 as is Rail Trip at 17.0. These are Grade 1 horses, but not Breeders Cup Classic winners in my opinion. Colonel John also sits at 17.0. Mastercraftsman is a quality European and he carries a 13.0 price. He's had a very long season though, and I'm not sure if he'll be able to maintain a lead against the likes of Zenyatta and Summer Bird coming into the stretch. Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird comes in at 26.0. He was bested by Gitano Hernando in the Goodwood Stakes and he's listed at a lengthy 17.0. West Point Thoroughbreds Macho Again, who very nearly beat Rachel Alexandra in the Woodward Stakes, will be running here and I think he's well-priced at 34.0. The 2009 Woodward at Saratoga was more or less the best horse race I've ever seen in my entire life. Bullsbay came third in that race and he's also been pointed towards the Classic at a 34.0 price. I'm going to go out on a limb and bet against the imports. I think Zenyatta hasn't been challenged enough and has also never run against colts. I think the quality is there, but matched up head to head I really like Summer Bird. I think the distance suits him, I think he's won the right type of races, but I'm just up in the air about him over the polytrack. I also think that a decent stall draw could see his price drop. I actually expect him to leave the gate at 5.0 so I'm going to jump all over this 7.0 price. With the race less than a month away, I'm going to be backing Summer Bird outright and using him at the top of my exotics with Zenyatta, Macho Again and Rip Van Winkle on the bottom end. If Mine That Bird continues to rise in price, I think that's your value bet.