Sea the Stars (left) winning the 2009 Epsom Derby (PA Wire)

As we keep shaking the Breeders’ Cup magic ball, the questions of the week are simple. Is Sea the Stars the best in Europe? Is he Breeders’ Cup material? And is he coming?

This post is not about me, but I’ll say this much: I love my job! Especially when my job is to get on a plane, fly to Ireland, drive to John Oxx’s yard and see the Star! It was the second visit this season. The previous had taken place in early April, before his first start of the season.

At that time, Sea the Stars was recovering from a cough and a fever. A bad Saint Patrick’s Day surprise for John Oxx, who was keeping his eyes on Newmarket, hoping the colt would be back in time for the 2000 Guineas. He was doing better, but would it be enough?

Even this early in the season, it was hard not to think about the Arc, given how reporters have this bad habit of projecting themselves and their subjects in the future, given his dam Urban Sea had won the Arc in 1993, and given she had just passed after foaling in March. It was also hard not to notice that her son, Sea the Stars, had been given the stall once occupied by Sinndar, Oxx’s 2000 Arc winner.

How not to ask?

“Of course, it would be wonderful to make it there, given his dam’s record …,” Oxx agreed. But? There was a hint … “He’s by Cape Cross, and he’s shown us a lot of speed, but we need to make sure he stays.”

That was before the beginning of Sea the Stars’s incredible 2009 campaign in which eventually took the Guineas, the Epsom Derby, the Eclipse Stakes, the Juddmonte International Stakes and the Irish Champion Stakes, five Group 1 victories in a row.

Now with the first Sunday of October approaching, the 3-year-old ready to come out of his stall had become the odds-on favorite for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. It’s a race his half-brother, Galileo, skipped to head straight to the Breeders’ Cup Classic. That was in 2001, and Galileo placed sixth on Belmont’s dirt.

Looking at the Sea the Star’s current muscle mass, which has seriously developed over the summer, the bad habit comes back to this reporter: “What about the Breeders’ Cup ?”

“We haven’t seriously thought about it to much yet,” Oxx said. “He should handle the surface well, should we decide to go to the Classic rather than the Turf. It’s a completely different environment, but he‘s pretty adaptable.

“The main thing about the Breeder’s Cup is that it’s on the 7th of November and it’s late; he’s had a long season.” True, a long season that has featured the same motto: “One race at a time.”

So, first things first. Unless the rain starts pouring over Paris, Sea the Stars will head to Longchamp. It’s been the plan, and “the perfect way to crown an incredible season,” according to his trainer.

“The Star” had worked the day before my arrival, far from cameras and reporters. A “nice bit of fast work,” as it was described and the mere mention of which just brought a big smile to Mick Kinane’s face. The word of a fast work had us worried of what would be left to observe the next day.

“He’ll be stretching his legs,” said a reassuring Oxx, calling it “just an easy, little two-furlong canter to keep him happy.

“He’s a big, strong horse and he needs a lot of work. Some of these good horses, with a good constitution, they usually take a little but more work than other horses. They are able to withstand it; they probably need it and thrive on it. He works hard enough, a tougher schedule than regular horses. He canters everyday, except on Sundays when he walks rather than canters.”

The colt appeared fresh and looks to have plenty of energy left in the tank for his Sunday target in the Arc. He showed in Epsom that he can stay, but his previous starts on shorter distances have the opposition hoping.

“Fame and Glory could be a danger now over a mile and a half,” recognized Oxx. “Our fellow has too much speed for him obviously on a mile and a quarter. They’ll try to make it a fast pace again and test his stamina to the limit. That’s all they can do really.”

There is indeed a sense on the European scene that if the rain holds, and Sea the Stars shows, he will be hard to beat.

“Each race seems harder on us than the previous one. When it’s all over, we’ll sit down and look back. We should really spend more time enjoying now,” admitted Oxx, smiling.

In the meantime, we are the ones enjoying ourselves watching the son of Urban Sea jumping at his bit ready to marvel the crowd. It’s a moment we’re happy to share with you right here on Breeders’ Cup 360 in a preview of HRTV’s “Pursuit of the Cup” feature to run next Thursday.