Animal Kingdom (USA)
March 20, 2008 – Living
Leroidesanimaux (BRZ) x Dalicia (GER), by Acatenango (GER)
Family 1-h
March 20, 2008 – Living
Leroidesanimaux (BRZ) x Dalicia (GER), by Acatenango (GER)
Family 1-h
An unknown quantity going into the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (USA-G1) as he had never previously raced on dirt, Animal Kingdom left no doubt as to which horse was best in the 10-furlong dirt test on the first Saturday in May. Following the Triple Crown series, he was sidelined by injury for the rest of his 3-year-old season and much of his 4-year-old season but came back to be a Group 1 winner at 5. Thanks in part to a pedigree dominated by European bloodlines unfamiliar to most American breeders and the perception that he was most likely to be a turf-oriented sire, he struggled as a sire in Kentucky and now stands in Japan.
Race record
12 starts, 5 wins, 5 seconds, 0 thirds, US$8,387,500
2011:
2012:
2013:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 3-year-old male (2011)
Assessments
Rated at 121 pounds on the 2011 World's Best Racehorse Rankings for his Kentucky Derby performance, 15 pounds below overall highweight Frankel, 3 pounds below the top-rated performer on dirt, Drosselmeyer (who earned his rating in the Breeders’ Cup Classic), and 1 pound below the top-rated 3-year-old male on dirt, Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (USA-G1) winner Caleb’s Posse.
Rated at 124 pounds on the 2012 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for his second-place run in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, 16 pounds below overall highweight Frankel and 5 pounds below American champion turf male and Horse of the Year Wise Dan, who also earned his rating in the Breeder’s Cup Mile.
Rated at 125 pounds on the 2013 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for his victory in the Dubai World Cup, 5 pounds below overall co-highweights Black Caviar and Treve but best worldwide for performances on a synthetic surface.
As an individual
A big, strong, handsome chestnut horse standing 16.2½ hands, Animal Kingdom possessed a sharp, powerful turn of foot. While increasingly sensible and professional as he matured, trainer Graham Motion noted, “He has his moments, though, he can still catch you off guard.” He fractured a hock while running unplaced in the 2011 Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) but after surgery and rehabilitation returned successfully to the top level of racing.
As a stallion
Animal Kingdom’s runners have had most of their major successes on turf.
Notable progeny
Angel of Truth (AUS), Duopoly (USA), Oleksandra (AUS), Regal Glory (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky at Denali Stud, Animal Kingdom was bred by Team Valor. He was purchased as a yearling from the 2009 Keeneland September sale for US$100,000 by a racing partnership also known as Team Valor (not identical with the breeding partnership, which was dissolved). He was initially trained by Wayne Catalano and was moved to the barn of Graham Motion after his first race at 3. He was ridden to his Kentucky Derby triumph by John Velazquez. Following the colt’s second-place finish in the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Mile, Arrowfield Stud purchased a majority interest in him; Darley acquired a minority interest in the horse following his win in the 2013 Dubai World Cup. Animal Kingdom entered stud in 2013 during the Southern Hemisphere season at Arrowfield Stud in Australia and stood the Northern Hemisphere seasons of 2014-2019 at Darley in Kentucky before being sold to Japanese interests.
Pedigree notes
Animal Kingdom is inbred 4x4 to multiple French Group 1 winner Lyphard, who led the French general sire list twice and the American general sire list in 1986. He is one of six winners (including two stakes-placed runners in Japan) produced from 2005 Preis der Sparkassen Finanzgruppe (GER-G3) winner Dalicia, whose sire Acatenango was the 1987 German Horse of the Year and led the German general sire list as many as five times depending on the reference consulted. Dalicia is a full sister to Darwinia, dam of Grade 2 winner Daveron (by Black Sam Bellamy) and second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner March to the Arch and multiple Grade 3 winner Global Access.
Dalicia is out of Dynamis (by 1986 English and French champion 3-year-old male Dancing Brave), whose half sister Diacada (by Cadeaux Genereux) won the 2003 Henkel-Rennen (German One Thousand Guineas, GER-G2) and is the dam of three listed stakes winners and the second dam of multiple German Group 3 winner Degas. Dynamis is also a half sister to German Group 3 winner Desidera (by Shaadi), dam of multiple Group 2 winner Diplomat (by Teofilo), and to listed stakes winner Diable (by Big Shuffle).
Dynamis and her siblings, in turn, are out of listed stakes winner Diasprina (by Aspros), a full sister to Doretta, dam of German Group 3 winner Dictum (by Secret ‘n Classy), and to Despoina, dam of listed stakes winner Desabina (by Big Shuffle). Produced from the Rheffic mare Dorle, Diasprina is also a half sister to listed stakes winner Duke of Windsor (by Windwurf) and to listed stakes-placed Danae, dam of multiple listed stakes winner Diktys (by Kamiros II).
Books and media
Footage of Animal Kingdom’s win in the 2011 Kentucky Derby can be accessed in Claire Crosby’s Bloodhorse.com article of April 24, 2020, “Motion Savored Moment When Animal Kingdom Made History” (https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/239755/motion-savored-moment-when-animal-kingdom-made-history).
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan in 2016 at Darley. Used by permission.
Last updated: November 5, 2024
Race record
12 starts, 5 wins, 5 seconds, 0 thirds, US$8,387,500
2011:
- Won Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (USA-G1, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Spiral Stakes (USA-G3, 9FA, Turfway Park)
- 2nd Preakness Stakes (USA-G1, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
2012:
- 2nd Breeders' Cup Mile (USA-G1, 8FT, Santa Anita)
2013:
- Won Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (UAE-G1, 2000mA, Meydan)
- 2nd Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (USA-G1, 9FT, Gulfstream Park)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 3-year-old male (2011)
Assessments
Rated at 121 pounds on the 2011 World's Best Racehorse Rankings for his Kentucky Derby performance, 15 pounds below overall highweight Frankel, 3 pounds below the top-rated performer on dirt, Drosselmeyer (who earned his rating in the Breeders’ Cup Classic), and 1 pound below the top-rated 3-year-old male on dirt, Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (USA-G1) winner Caleb’s Posse.
Rated at 124 pounds on the 2012 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for his second-place run in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, 16 pounds below overall highweight Frankel and 5 pounds below American champion turf male and Horse of the Year Wise Dan, who also earned his rating in the Breeder’s Cup Mile.
Rated at 125 pounds on the 2013 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for his victory in the Dubai World Cup, 5 pounds below overall co-highweights Black Caviar and Treve but best worldwide for performances on a synthetic surface.
As an individual
A big, strong, handsome chestnut horse standing 16.2½ hands, Animal Kingdom possessed a sharp, powerful turn of foot. While increasingly sensible and professional as he matured, trainer Graham Motion noted, “He has his moments, though, he can still catch you off guard.” He fractured a hock while running unplaced in the 2011 Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) but after surgery and rehabilitation returned successfully to the top level of racing.
As a stallion
Animal Kingdom’s runners have had most of their major successes on turf.
Notable progeny
Angel of Truth (AUS), Duopoly (USA), Oleksandra (AUS), Regal Glory (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky at Denali Stud, Animal Kingdom was bred by Team Valor. He was purchased as a yearling from the 2009 Keeneland September sale for US$100,000 by a racing partnership also known as Team Valor (not identical with the breeding partnership, which was dissolved). He was initially trained by Wayne Catalano and was moved to the barn of Graham Motion after his first race at 3. He was ridden to his Kentucky Derby triumph by John Velazquez. Following the colt’s second-place finish in the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Mile, Arrowfield Stud purchased a majority interest in him; Darley acquired a minority interest in the horse following his win in the 2013 Dubai World Cup. Animal Kingdom entered stud in 2013 during the Southern Hemisphere season at Arrowfield Stud in Australia and stood the Northern Hemisphere seasons of 2014-2019 at Darley in Kentucky before being sold to Japanese interests.
Pedigree notes
Animal Kingdom is inbred 4x4 to multiple French Group 1 winner Lyphard, who led the French general sire list twice and the American general sire list in 1986. He is one of six winners (including two stakes-placed runners in Japan) produced from 2005 Preis der Sparkassen Finanzgruppe (GER-G3) winner Dalicia, whose sire Acatenango was the 1987 German Horse of the Year and led the German general sire list as many as five times depending on the reference consulted. Dalicia is a full sister to Darwinia, dam of Grade 2 winner Daveron (by Black Sam Bellamy) and second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner March to the Arch and multiple Grade 3 winner Global Access.
Dalicia is out of Dynamis (by 1986 English and French champion 3-year-old male Dancing Brave), whose half sister Diacada (by Cadeaux Genereux) won the 2003 Henkel-Rennen (German One Thousand Guineas, GER-G2) and is the dam of three listed stakes winners and the second dam of multiple German Group 3 winner Degas. Dynamis is also a half sister to German Group 3 winner Desidera (by Shaadi), dam of multiple Group 2 winner Diplomat (by Teofilo), and to listed stakes winner Diable (by Big Shuffle).
Dynamis and her siblings, in turn, are out of listed stakes winner Diasprina (by Aspros), a full sister to Doretta, dam of German Group 3 winner Dictum (by Secret ‘n Classy), and to Despoina, dam of listed stakes winner Desabina (by Big Shuffle). Produced from the Rheffic mare Dorle, Diasprina is also a half sister to listed stakes winner Duke of Windsor (by Windwurf) and to listed stakes-placed Danae, dam of multiple listed stakes winner Diktys (by Kamiros II).
Books and media
Footage of Animal Kingdom’s win in the 2011 Kentucky Derby can be accessed in Claire Crosby’s Bloodhorse.com article of April 24, 2020, “Motion Savored Moment When Animal Kingdom Made History” (https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/239755/motion-savored-moment-when-animal-kingdom-made-history).
Fun facts
- Animal Kingdom’s name is derived directly from that of his sire Leroidesanimaux, which means “King of the Animals.”
- Dalicia was actually booked to Kingmambo during the season in which Animal Kingdom was conceived, but Kingmambo had to be relieved of covering mares due to back problems and Leroidesanimaux was substituted.
- Animal Kingdom was the first Kentucky Derby winner to be sired by a Brazilian-bred horse and only the second to be sired by a South American-bred horse, following Gato del Sol (by the Chilean-bred Cougar II) in 1982.
- Animal Kingdom was the first horse since Needles in 1956 to win the Kentucky Derby off a 6-week layoff.
- Trainer Graham Motion, who had been based in Maryland prior to working with Animal Kingdom, was sufficiently unfamiliar with Churchill Downs that fellow trainer Dale Romans (whose entry Shackleford finished fourth) had to help him find the winner’s circle after Animal Kingdom’s Kentucky Derby win.
- John Velazquez was originally slated to ride favored Uncle Mo in the Kentucky Derby but was left without a mount when the 2-year-old champion was forced to scratch due to illness. Robby Alvarado was Animal King’s scheduled jockey but had to take off due to injury, and Velazquez’s agent Angel Cordero (himself a Derby-winning jockey) got his client the pickup mount on Animal Kingdom, who gave the veteran Velazquez his first Derby win after 12 previous tries.
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan in 2016 at Darley. Used by permission.
Last updated: November 5, 2024