The globe-trotting career of classic winner and champion Animal Kingdom will continue in Japan, as the stallion has been acquired by the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association to stand in that country beginning in 2020. After a racing career in which Animal Kingdom - by Brazilian-born champion Leroidesanimaux and out of the German-bred mare Dalicia - ran in the U.S., Dubai, and England, he began his stud career at Arrowfield Stud in Australia for the 2013 Southern Hemisphere breeding season. Arrowfield had acquired a majority interest in Animal Kingdom's breeding rights from owner-breeder Team Valor International, with Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation also buying into the horse prior to his final start. After launching his career in Australia, Animal Kingdom shuttled to Godolphin's Darley stallion operation in Kentucky for the 2014 Northern Hemisphere season, where he has stood each season since. He shuttled three more times to Arrowfield for the 2014, 2015, and 2017 Southern Hemisphere seasons. Animal Kingdom burst onto the scene in 2011 by winning the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes to earn a spot in the Kentucky Derby. He won the Derby by 2 3/4 lengths in his first start on dirt, then finished second bya  half-length in the Preakness Stakes. Despite finishing sixth in the Belmont Stakes in what turned out to be his final start of the year due to injury, Animal Kingdom earned the Eclipse Award as the year's outstanding 3-year-old colt. Animal Kingdom made just two starts as a 4-year-old, both on turf. He won an allowance/optional-claiming race in February 2012 at Gulfstream Park before again being sidelined by injury. He returned from another long layoff to finish second by 1 1/2 lengths to two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita. Animal Kingdom competed in three different countries in the first half of 2013, finishing second to the distinguished runner Point of Entry in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap, winning the Group 1 Dubai World Cup by two lengths, and finishing 11th in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in his final career start. He concluded his racing career with a record of 12-5-5-0 and earnings of $8,387,500. As a stallion, Animal Kingdom is represented by 167 winners from 302 starters to date, with 13 stakes winners. His runners are led by this year's Group 1 Australian Derby winner Angel of Truth; Untamed Domain, a Group 2 winner in Canada who finished second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf; multiple graded stakes winner Regal Glory, who was set to start in Saturday's Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland; Oleksandra, who became a graded stakes winner on Friday when she took the Group 3 Franklin County Stakes at Keeneland; and Elsa, a Grade 3 winner last year.