Arrowfield Stud has confirmed the retirement of Animal Kingdom after his disappointing finale at Royal Ascot last Tuesday.
Animal Kingdom, started as the 5-4 favourite, was unable to go out a winner, fading quickly and finishing 11th in the Queen Anne Stakes in his last race before retirement.
Animal Kingdom won the Kentucky Derby in 2011 and the $10 million Dubai World Cup in March this year.
Trained by Graham Motion, Animal Kingdom (Leroidesanimaux x Dalicia, by Acatenango) has finished his career with 5 wins and 5 placings from 12 starts with prizemoney of over $8 million.
The 5YO who is owned in partnership by Australia’s Arrowfield Stud and US-based Team Valor International after the stallion was purchased by Arrowfield supremo John Messara at the end of 2012 with the aim of a future southern hemisphere breeding career.
“He’ll be busy all year-around but he’ll be in great demand because he’s known all over the world,” Messara said.
Animal Kingdom’s initial stud fee is $38,500, but this is just a starting point, said Messara.
“Until a horse proves himself as a stallion, as a maker of successful babies, if you like, it’s hard to establish a very high fee. This horse still has to prove himself, and so his fee is related to his performance to date, his bloodlines and so on,” Messara said.
Arrowfield plans to use Animal Kingdom as a “shuttle stallion”, and will start serving in the breeding season in Australia in September before being transported in December to the Jonabell Farm in Kentucky owned by Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
