Animal Kingdom’s first foal born in Australia

The first reported foal by Animal Kingdom, the Kentucky Derby winner and champion 3-year-old of 2011, was born this week at John Messara’s Arrowfield Stud in Australia.

The foal – a filly – is out of the winning Redoute’s Choice mare Tumble Turn.

Arrowfield Stud purchased a majority interest in the breeding rights to Animal Kingdom, a 6-year-old son of Leroidesanimaux, prior to his victory in the 2013 Dubai World Cup, making him the first Kentucky Derby winner to begin his stallion career in Australia.

Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum acquired a minority interest in Animal Kingdom following his victory in Dubai. He made his Northern Hemisphere stallion debut this year at Darley’s Jonabell Farm in Lexington, Ky.

Raced as a homebred by Team Valor, Animal Kingdom won 5 of 12 starts for earnings of over $8.3 million. In addition to his Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup victories, Animal Kingdom also win the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes and finished second in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes, Breeders’ Cup Mile, and Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap.

Animal Kingdom is currently in quarantine in Australia after returning to stand for the Southern Hemisphere breeding season. He will stand at Arrowfield for an advertised fee of about $30,600 ($33,000 Australian).