Royal Academy (USA)
February 21, 1987 – February 11, 2012
Nijinsky II (CAN) x Crimson Saint (USA), by Crimson Satan (USA)
Family 8-c
February 21, 1987 – February 11, 2012
Nijinsky II (CAN) x Crimson Saint (USA), by Crimson Satan (USA)
Family 8-c
Royal Academy had a “could be anything” pedigree but took after the speed of his dam and became a high-class sprinter-miler. After concluding his career with a victory in the 1990 Breeders’ Cup Mile (USA-G1), he became a good sire in a globetrotting stud career, passing on his speed around the world.
Race record
7 starts, 4 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds, US$791,003 (includes converted earnings from England and Ireland)
1990:
Assessments
Highweighted in the 7-9F category among Irish 3-year-old males of 1990.
Rated at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1990, 3 pounds below highweighted In the Wings but 1 pound above the official divisional champion, Itsallgreektome (a 3-year-old).
As an individual
A beautiful miler type with a deep chest and a strong body, Royal Academy was a bay horse standing 16.1½ hands.
As a stallion
Royal Academy was awarded the Mossoró Trophy as Brazil’s “Stallion of the Year” in 2003/2004 through 2005/2006. According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Royal Academy sired 1481 winners (56.8%) and 167 stakes winners (6.4%) from 2609 named foals. He is a Brilliant/Intermediate chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per the Associação Brasileira de Criadores e Proprietários do Cavalo de Corrida (www.abcpcc.com.br):
Per Arion Pedigrees (www.arion.co.nz):
Per The Blood-Horse:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Per Thoroughbred Times (previously the Thoroughbred Record):
Notable progeny
Ali-Royal (IRE), Bel Esprit (AUS), Bullish Luck (USA), Carmine Lake (IRE), Durban Thunder (BRZ), Express Way (BRZ), Eyeofthetiger (BRZ), Heroi do Bafra (BRZ), Kenwood Melody (AUS), Lavery (IRE), Macbeth (BRZ), Magic Lamp (BRZ), Marenostrum (BRZ), Move Star (BRZ), Oscar Schindler (IRE), Sleepytime (IRE), Top Hat (BRZ), Val Royal (FR), Zalaiyka (FR)
Notable progeny of daughters
Ceú de Brigadeiro (BRZ), Empoderada (BRZ), Fastnet Rock (AUS), George Washington (BRZ), Rabiya (SAF), Pimper's Paradise (BRZ), Rule of Law (USA), Stormy Liberal (USA), Vitoria Olimpia (BRZ)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Royal Academy was bred by Tom Gentry, who sold him for a sale-topping US$3.5 million yearling at the 1988 Keeneland July yearling sale, He was owned by Classic Thoroughbreds and was trained by Vincent O'Brien. He entered stud in Kentucky in 1991 at Ashford Stud, Versailles and later stood Northern Hemisphere seasons on Ireland and Japan. In December 2007, Coolmore made the decision not to bring Royal Academy back to the Northern Hemisphere for the 2008 breeding season, electing to leave the stallion at Coolmore Australia, where he had served the previous six Southern Hemisphere seasons. He had previously shuttled to Brazil for two years. Royal Academy was pensioned following the 2009 Southern Hemisphere breeding season and died of natural causes at Coolmore Australia on February 11, 2012.
Pedigree notes
Royal Academy is inbred 4x4 to 1937 American champion 2-year-old male Menow. He is a half brother to multiple Grade 2 winner Terlingua (by Secretariat), dam of 1985 Young America Stakes (USA-G1) winner and two-time American champion sire Storm Cat (by Storm Bird); of the useful sire Pioneering (by Mr. Prospector); and of multiple Grade 2 winner Chapel of Dreams (by Northern Dancer), second dam of 2008 Racing Post Trophy (ENG-G1) winner Crowded House; Grade 2 winners Postponed, Juniper Pass, and Tale of a Champion; and Grade/Group 3 winners Ilusora, Mr. Roary and Bandua. Royal Academy is also a half brother to Grade 2 winner Pancho Villa (by Secretariat); to stakes winner Alydariel (by Alydar), dam of Grade 2 winner Jeune Homme (by Nureyev) and second dam of French Group 3 winner Damoiselle; and to Prawn Cocktail (by Artichoke), dam of Australian Group 2 winner Langoustine and Australian Group 3 winner One World (both by Danehill) and second dam of 2016 Japanese champion 2-year-old male Satono Ares and Australian Group 3 winner One Last Dance. In addition, Royal Academy is a half brother to Navajo Pass (by Secretariat), second dam of Grade 3 winner Palanka City and third dam of Grade 3 winner Lightening Larry and Peruvian Group 3 winner Canoso.
Royal Academy and his siblings are out of the wickedly fast Grade 3 winner Crimson Saint, who equaled the world record for 4 furlongs in 1971. She is the only foal of any significance produced from multiple stakes winner Bolero Rose, whose sire Bolero (by Eight Thirty) set a new world record for 7 furlongs in the 1951 San Carlos Handicap at Santa Anita.
Bolero Rose's dam First Rose (by Menow) is a winning half sister to 1945 Excelsior Handicap winner Saguaro (by Blenheim II) and to Magic Mirror (by Questionnaire), dam of 1956 Tropical Handicap winner Illusionist (by Devil Diver). First Rose and her siblings were produced from the Sir Gallahad III mare Rare Bloom, a half sister to juvenile stakes winners Oh Say (by Dis Donc) and Balios (by Chicle).
Books and media
Footage of Royal Academy’s win in the 1990 Breeders’ Cup Mile can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6tdQXkAu6Y.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Portrait photo taken by Jessica Morgan in 2007 at Ashford Stud. Used by permission.
Last updated: November 5, 2024
Race record
7 starts, 4 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds, US$791,003 (includes converted earnings from England and Ireland)
1990:
- Won Breeders' Cup Mile (USA-G1, 8FT, Belmont)
- Won Carroll Foundation July Cup (ENG-G1, 6FT, Newmarket)
- Won Dermot McCalmont Tetrarch Stakes (IRE-G3, 7FT, The Curragh)
- 2nd Airlie Coolmore Irish Two Thousand Guineas (IRE-G1, 8FT, The Curragh)
- 2nd Ladbroke Sprint Cup (ENG-G1, 6FT, Haydock)
Assessments
Highweighted in the 7-9F category among Irish 3-year-old males of 1990.
Rated at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1990, 3 pounds below highweighted In the Wings but 1 pound above the official divisional champion, Itsallgreektome (a 3-year-old).
As an individual
A beautiful miler type with a deep chest and a strong body, Royal Academy was a bay horse standing 16.1½ hands.
As a stallion
Royal Academy was awarded the Mossoró Trophy as Brazil’s “Stallion of the Year” in 2003/2004 through 2005/2006. According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Royal Academy sired 1481 winners (56.8%) and 167 stakes winners (6.4%) from 2609 named foals. He is a Brilliant/Intermediate chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per the Associação Brasileira de Criadores e Proprietários do Cavalo de Corrida (www.abcpcc.com.br):
- 2nd on the Brazilian general sire list in 2005/2006, 3rd in 2004/2005.
- 2nd on the Brazilian broodmare sire list in 2015/2016 and 2016/2017; 3rd in 2019/2020; 4th in 2012/2013 and 2014/2015; 6th in 2017/2018 and 2020/2021; 7th in 2018/2019.
Per Arion Pedigrees (www.arion.co.nz):
- 8th on the Australian broodmare sire list in 2016/2017; 9th in 2013/2014 through 2015/2016; 10th in 2012/2013.
- 10th on the Irish broodmare sire list in 2008.
- 7th on the Italian broodmare sire list in 2012; 8th in 2013.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- 7th on the American general sire list in 2007.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 4th on the Australian general sire list in 2001/2002.
- 3rd on the Brazilian general sire list in 2004/2005.
- 5th on the combined English/Irish general sire list in 1997; 10th in 1996.
- 5th on the combined English/Irish broodmare sire list in 2004
Per Thoroughbred Times (previously the Thoroughbred Record):
- Led the Brazilian general sire list in 2004/2005 and 2005/2006.
Notable progeny
Ali-Royal (IRE), Bel Esprit (AUS), Bullish Luck (USA), Carmine Lake (IRE), Durban Thunder (BRZ), Express Way (BRZ), Eyeofthetiger (BRZ), Heroi do Bafra (BRZ), Kenwood Melody (AUS), Lavery (IRE), Macbeth (BRZ), Magic Lamp (BRZ), Marenostrum (BRZ), Move Star (BRZ), Oscar Schindler (IRE), Sleepytime (IRE), Top Hat (BRZ), Val Royal (FR), Zalaiyka (FR)
Notable progeny of daughters
Ceú de Brigadeiro (BRZ), Empoderada (BRZ), Fastnet Rock (AUS), George Washington (BRZ), Rabiya (SAF), Pimper's Paradise (BRZ), Rule of Law (USA), Stormy Liberal (USA), Vitoria Olimpia (BRZ)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Royal Academy was bred by Tom Gentry, who sold him for a sale-topping US$3.5 million yearling at the 1988 Keeneland July yearling sale, He was owned by Classic Thoroughbreds and was trained by Vincent O'Brien. He entered stud in Kentucky in 1991 at Ashford Stud, Versailles and later stood Northern Hemisphere seasons on Ireland and Japan. In December 2007, Coolmore made the decision not to bring Royal Academy back to the Northern Hemisphere for the 2008 breeding season, electing to leave the stallion at Coolmore Australia, where he had served the previous six Southern Hemisphere seasons. He had previously shuttled to Brazil for two years. Royal Academy was pensioned following the 2009 Southern Hemisphere breeding season and died of natural causes at Coolmore Australia on February 11, 2012.
Pedigree notes
Royal Academy is inbred 4x4 to 1937 American champion 2-year-old male Menow. He is a half brother to multiple Grade 2 winner Terlingua (by Secretariat), dam of 1985 Young America Stakes (USA-G1) winner and two-time American champion sire Storm Cat (by Storm Bird); of the useful sire Pioneering (by Mr. Prospector); and of multiple Grade 2 winner Chapel of Dreams (by Northern Dancer), second dam of 2008 Racing Post Trophy (ENG-G1) winner Crowded House; Grade 2 winners Postponed, Juniper Pass, and Tale of a Champion; and Grade/Group 3 winners Ilusora, Mr. Roary and Bandua. Royal Academy is also a half brother to Grade 2 winner Pancho Villa (by Secretariat); to stakes winner Alydariel (by Alydar), dam of Grade 2 winner Jeune Homme (by Nureyev) and second dam of French Group 3 winner Damoiselle; and to Prawn Cocktail (by Artichoke), dam of Australian Group 2 winner Langoustine and Australian Group 3 winner One World (both by Danehill) and second dam of 2016 Japanese champion 2-year-old male Satono Ares and Australian Group 3 winner One Last Dance. In addition, Royal Academy is a half brother to Navajo Pass (by Secretariat), second dam of Grade 3 winner Palanka City and third dam of Grade 3 winner Lightening Larry and Peruvian Group 3 winner Canoso.
Royal Academy and his siblings are out of the wickedly fast Grade 3 winner Crimson Saint, who equaled the world record for 4 furlongs in 1971. She is the only foal of any significance produced from multiple stakes winner Bolero Rose, whose sire Bolero (by Eight Thirty) set a new world record for 7 furlongs in the 1951 San Carlos Handicap at Santa Anita.
Bolero Rose's dam First Rose (by Menow) is a winning half sister to 1945 Excelsior Handicap winner Saguaro (by Blenheim II) and to Magic Mirror (by Questionnaire), dam of 1956 Tropical Handicap winner Illusionist (by Devil Diver). First Rose and her siblings were produced from the Sir Gallahad III mare Rare Bloom, a half sister to juvenile stakes winners Oh Say (by Dis Donc) and Balios (by Chicle).
Books and media
Footage of Royal Academy’s win in the 1990 Breeders’ Cup Mile can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6tdQXkAu6Y.
Fun facts
- The Royal Academy of Arts, often known simply as the Royal Academy, is an organization dedicated to the promotion of the creation, enjoyment, and appreciation of the visual arts. Located in London, it was founded by an act of King George III in 1768.
- Royal Academy’s Breeders’ Cup Mile was a comeback race for the great European jockey Lester Piggott, who came out of retirement to ride the colt.
Photo credit
Portrait photo taken by Jessica Morgan in 2007 at Ashford Stud. Used by permission.
Last updated: November 5, 2024