Is It Fair To Make A Pre-Conceived Judgement Of A Racehorse When They're Related To A Superstar?

Born To Sea was retired on Sunday morning having sustained an injury in the Red Mills Irish Champion Stakes.

Born To Sea trails Camelot in the Irish Derby

http://www.racingpost.com/horses/horse_home.sd?horse_id=773055#topHorseTabs=horse_race_record&bottomHorseTabs=horse_form

Owned by the Tsui family. Born To Sea carried the iconic yellow silks with a purple cap synonymous with his legendary half brother Sea The Stars and his Dam Urban Sea.

Finishing second last behind the irreplaceable Snow Fairy, Johnny Murtagh felt that his mount lost his action as the 3 year colt came passed the winning post. He was found to be lame behind on Sunday morning at John Oxx's yard and decision was made to end his racing career. Oxx felt the time frame to get Born To Sea fit again to meet his end of season targets was too slim bearing in mind he will require rest. However, the main reason to retire the colt was due to the large amount of interest in him as a stallion for next year. Where he will stand at stud is yet to be revealed.

Born To Sea was the last foal produced by the prolific Dam and 1993 Arc winner Urban Sea, who passed away whilst giving birth to the newly retired 3 year old.

In 8 starts Born To Sea won 1 race, a listed race at the Curragh as a 2 year old. The highlight of his racing career was surely a second place finish in the Irish Derby, behind potentially the first triple crown winner for 42 years in Camelot.

Perhaps it was disrespectful to mention Born To Sea in the same breath as Sea The Stars. Perhaps it was unfair to expect so much of him.

As his career draws to close I consider something.

In my opinion he was not Born To Sea the racehorse, his identity was the racehorse who was a half-brother to Sea The Stars.

Triple Gold Cup Winner Best Mate

I remember this type of situation occurring when Best Mate's full brother Inca Trail arrived at Henrietta Knight's yard in 2002. He was considered a big disappointment, when actually if he didn't have the tag of being a triple Gold Cup winners full brother, the publics view on Inca Trail's career might have been very different.

Inca Trail - unlucky to be Best Mate's full-brother?

More recently this applies to Born To sea too.

Is it fair to make a pre-conceived judgement of a racehorse when they're related to a superstar?

What was his name again?

Born To Sea The Stars.......it might as well have been.