Most thoroughbred owners dream of winning a major race. The late Khalid Abdullah owned three of Timeform’s 17 highest rated gallopers, and two of them occupy the gold and silver medal positions in the world’s official rankings.
Twenty thoroughbreds – Arrogate, Close Hatches, Dansili, Dancing Brave, Emollient, Enable, Flintshire, Frankel, Hasili, Kind, Kingman, Known Fact, Midday, Oasis Dream, Rainbow Quest, Sightseek, Toussaud, Twice Over, Warning and Zafonic – comprise Juddmonte’s Hall of Fame on its website, but star billing belongs to Arrogate, Dancing Brave and Abdullah’s greatest achievement as a breeder, Frankel.
Abdullah’s Juddmonte enterprise is famous for the breeding part of its international operation, but the Saudi prince bought both Arrogate and Dancing Brave from sales in the United States of America. Arrogate (Timeform 139 and World Thoroughbred Rankings 134) was a US$560,000 purchase, which won seven of his 11 races, including four Group One events, one of which he won by 13 and a half length. Dancing Brave (Timeform 140 and World Thoroughbred Rankings 138) was a US$200,000 buy, which won eight of his 10 races, including four Group One events, and he was a bitterly unlucky loser in the 1986 English Derby when given too much to do late.
Frankel, the unbeaten son of Coolmore stallion Galileo and Juddmonte mare Kind, which Abdullah named in honour of his deceased friend, legendary trainer Robert Frankel, won 14 times, posting nine Group One victories. Frankel (Timeform 147 and World Thoroughbred Rankings 138) was the ultimate thoroughbred and the product of Abdullah’s knowledge.
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