2 October 2019
Photos scoopdyga.com, Arqana
Sottsass is surely one of the most intriguing challengers in the mix for the 98th Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He's only raced in France, six times altogether, and four this season. He was kept pretty much under the radar before his shock win in the French Derby, the Prix du Jockey-Club (Gr1), back in June at Chantilly. At the time, all eyes were on French 2,000 Guineas winner Persian King, who finished second and hasn't run again. Yes, Sottsass had just won the Listed Prix de Suresnes (L) at Chantilly by 6.5 lengths but somehow, this temperamental chestnut did not look like a better option than another 13/1 shot in the French classic, the Roger Varian-trained Dante 3rd Surfman -don't bother checking what he's up too: he has not run again since.
But that day, Sottsass zipped home the way the greats do, beating a track record by almost a second, and the stakes best time by 2.7 seconds...
His trainer Jean-Claude Rouget decided that it was just too awesome to try it again so soon and Sottsass was put away for the Summer. he came back with a bang for his first tilt over 1m4f in the Qatar Prix Niel (Gr2), an Arc trial he won in two strides after being boxed in.
Nobody knows what he's up to. He could be anything. Like a giant killer for Enable?
Sottsass was born on March 24, 2016, at the Haras des Monceaux, the top French consignor and a prominent breeder on the European sales scene.
The Monceaux team was only created in 2003 though, by Lucien Urano, a businessman in the textile industry (Fabio Lucci, Tony Boy and Tati were his most famous brands in France) and a successful owner-breeder of trotting horses -John Gaines, the father of the Breeders'Cup and Gainesway Farm, followed a similar path Stateside a long time ago, but unlike Urano, he was born in racing. He migrated from Italy as a young boy and started from scratch.
Wishing to get involved in the thoroughbred World, the Italian-born investor bought a historic stud farm in the heart of the Pays d'Auge country, developed in 1925 by the American breeder-owner Ralph Beaver Strassburger, who bred champions such as Norseman or Worden, who both took the third place in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
He then entrusted the management of his structure to Henri Bozo, only 30 then, but already with a solid experience. Henri Bozo was born in the Thoroughbred World. His father, Antoine, ran the Moussac family's Haras du Mézeray - one of the largest in Normandy. After attending business schools, he travelled the World to improve his knowledge in breeding, training, horse care ... Ireland, United States, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand: so many different ways the young man got to learn that way. He then returned to France, at the Mézeray, to support his father for two years, then succeeded him at the helm. It was after three years at the Mézeray management that he was approached by Lucien Urano, who offered him a fresh start from scratch: renovate the stud farm, recruit staff, buy mares ...
In August 2009, that is only six years later, l'Écurie des Monceaux presents its first yearlings in Deauville, at the prestigious Arqana sales. It sells la crème de la crème and soon enough, the Monceaux takes its place among the top French breeders and consignors. Since 2012, they even head the Deauville top table. This buyer's confidence is directly linked to the on-course results of the horses bred by the Monceaux. Only ten years after the first births, the Monceaux already boasts nine Group 1 winners.
Sottsass, the brother of a champion
Sottsass was bought at the Arqana August yearlings sales held in Deauville (picture right, his catalogue page below). Bloodstock agent Michel Zerolo, acting on behalf of the American owner Peter Brant, paid € 340,000 to secure him. A sum well below that of the top price of the session at €1.55m, but higher than the median price of the selected part of the sale, which amounts to €160,000. Sottsass was what is known as a well-bred yearling.
His sire, Siyouni, is the top sire in France (number 1 by the earnings of his offspring). He was bred by His Highness the Aga Khan, and serves in his stud farm of Haras de Bonneval for €100,000 ... while he started his stud career at a mere €7,000. His offspring is so good that his covering fee was raised significantly and he is currently the most expensive on duty in France ... and certainly the most requested too!
When Sottsass was conceived, in 2015, Siyouni's stud fee was on the market at € 20,000.
Sottass's dam, Starlet's Sister, is out of the best sire in Europe, the Irish-bred Galileo. She did not manage to win a race during her career, however, but her dam, Première Création, gave two other good fillies before her: Leo's Starlet and Anabaa's Creation, who both won at the highest level in France.
Sottsass is the third foal out of Starlet's Sister. Her first one, the filly Sistercharlie, by the Mézeray sire Myboycharlie, a Prix Morny-winner, is a true champion. After starting her career in France, and a second place in the Prix de Diane Longines (French Oaks, Gr1) for owner Peter Brant, she was exported to the United States, where she became the best American mare on turf. She now has six Group 1 wins in her adopted country. When Sottsass climbed onto the Arqana ring, Sistercharlie was only 3 years old. She had just left France for the United States and hadn't conquered yet. This is why Sottsass's price was rather affordable: € 340,000 is half what his brother made last August, when sold for € 700,000 ...
Peter Brant, Sottsass' owner, is an American entrepreneur and one of the biggest collectors of Basquiat works of art in the World. He really fell in love with this family, and also bought the second foal out of Starlet's Sister, My Sister Nat, a Group winner in France also exported to the United States, as well as the fourth, Radiant Child, a 2 years old unraced colt.
Peter Brant said his champion was not for sale. However, between the €340,000 paid in 2017, and the current value of the horse, the gap is huge! If he came to win the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Sotssass' value would undoubtedly exceed 10 million euros ...
And he's a proper work of art too!
