Sea-Bird (Derby & Arc 1965)

Flat Racing's Greatest Champion.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Sea-Bird
• (Racehorse)

[bgardiner2000]

@Nautilus1972 Time is only important if you're in jail. The rest of that super field all ran 7 seconds slower don't forget... and he still gapped them like claimers. Time is only a superficial measure of greatness. Have a look for a horse called Mandurah. You may have never heard of him, as he was only a claimer last season. In June last year he ran a world record for 1 mile on any surace (1:31.25) at Monmouth. Surely that would make him the greatest miler that ever lived?? Hardly.

[Spaceweed10]

Overrated? You are either a troll, or know zero about Horse Racing - probably both ;)

[bbmtge]

Beautiful race. Excellent burst of speed and finishing "pulled-up". Can anyone answer as to the varying grade of this course.

[schardy80]

@tigerarmyrule Well said. His blinding acceleration seemed so effortless. Aesthetically about as pleasing as a horse can be.

[schardy80]

You can see why after all these years he is rated #1. He really accelerated away, making a strong field of horses look ordinary.

[eckythimble]

SeaBird clearly has a devasting end kick, somewhat similar to Australian 1980s champion Kingston Town. In the hypothetical SeaBird v. Secretariat clash, if they were head to head with 100 yards to go, I imagine the acceleration of the lighter horse SB may be too extreme for SEC to reel in in time. However the usual race strategy SEC adopted was to decide his races several hundred yards from the finish. If SEC did that, I don't think SB would have the top line speed to pull him back.

[tubeyhamster]

Time is important, but only when taken into account along with the weight carried, the course run over, the trajectory of the horse's trip, and the condition of the ground.

[TheDarleyarabian]

@tigerarmyrule so true there animals at the end of the day and we all have bad days. like u wot amazes me is the ease at which he canters along and goes clear without even being asked or giving 100%.

[tigerarmyrule]

It's important to remember that all horses are fallible. Even the truly stellar ones. Mill Reef lost at Newmarket, The Brigadier lost at York. Sea Bird himself lost in the Grand Criterium. Secretariat lost several races. Nijinsky lost at Longchamp....they are all fallible. What marks Sea Bird is the bizarre ease with which he cantered along.

[tigerarmyrule]

@TicinoParadise Good point. rcshumann is correct in point up SBs pedigree but the hints of nationalism in his comments fail to take the point that ultimately if you trace those bloodlines far enough you'll find non American horses.

[rananim3]

Please help.The Derby is a flat race and time is key.Why was this one of the greatest Derby wins when his time is a good +10secs off the current record????????????????Je comprends pas.Io no comprendo.Ich verstehe nicht.Bit of a hulllaballo about nothing if you ask me.Top 20 horse at best.

[TicinoParadise]

@rcschumann - True.  Cheers.