Arc Winner Sottsass Retired to Coolmore Stud
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Photo: Edward Whitaker/Racing Post
Sottsass wins the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp
Co-owner Peter Brant announced Oct. 6 he is retiring Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) winner Sottsass, who will begin his stallion career next year at Coolmore Stud in Ireland.
"A world champion at 3 and now an Arc winner at 4, I have decided to retire Sottsass after what he has achieved," Brant said in a statement. "He has retired sound and right at the top of his game—this is important to me. I am looking forward to breeding some of my best mares to him. Coolmore purchased 50% of him earlier in the year and he will stand there for 2021."
Brant, who breeds and races as White Birch Farm, recalled his fortune at watching Mill Reef win the Arc in 1971 when he was working on a film in Paris.
"I think it is the ultimate race to win, and I couldn't be more thrilled to have fulfilled a lifelong dream," he said. "Sottsass has an incredible turn of foot as he showed when readily disposing of Persian King in the Prix du Jockey Club (G1). He smashed the race-record time and knocked nearly a second off the one-mile-and-2 1/2-furlong track record at Chantilly previously held by dual Arc winner Treve. We were concerned that the testing conditions on Sunday might blunt his speed but he overcame them and showed his true greatness."
Sottsass, a son of Siyouni, was bred by S.A.S.U. Ecurie Des Moneaux out of the Galileo daughter Starlet's Sister, making him a half brother to Brant's seven-time grade 1 winner and champion turf female Sistercharlie. Brant bought Sottsass through Oceanic Bloodstock for €340,000 (US$399,908) from Monceaux's consignment to the 2017 Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale. The colt went on to compile a 6-1-1 record out of 12 starts and earned $3,900,437.
"Sottsass was always going to be of interest to us as a yearling and we were delighted when the individual matched up to his pedigree," Brant said. "Sottsass has proved himself the ultimate champion. Jean-Claude Rouget has done a masterful job with Sottsass and it gave me great pleasure to share in his first Arc success."