Baaeed has run his last race and goes off to a stallion career. He’ll be remembered as a great horse – just not an undefeated one.  After winning his first 10 starts, Baaeed lost his last one, finishing fourth as Bay Bridge held off Adayar to win the Group 1, $1.46 million Champion Stakes on Saturday at Ascot.   It was a shocking defeat for a 4-year-old who’d won five straight Group 1s and had stepped up from one mile to the Champions distance of 1 1/4 miles in his most recent race, beating Mishriff by more than six lengths in the International Stakes two months ago at York.   But that was good summer ground then, and Saturday’s course had naturally softened through the seasonal change and rain. Baaeed never looked especially comfortable on it. Stuck inside in the third flight of runners for a good portion of the trip, Baaeed found room to operate when the race complexion changed rapidly at the three-furlong marker and jockey Jim Crowley was able to get his mount outside and into the clear. But Crowley merely had a good horse under him Saturday, not a great one.   :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match and FREE Formulator PPs! Join DRF Bets. “The ground, simple as that. I turned into the straight and normally where he would pick up, normally he would be able to do it on good to soft, that kick just wasn't there,” Crowley said. “In the past, it has just been instant. It just wasn't there, simple as that. I pressed the button today and it wasn't there.”  Bay Bridge had no issue with the going – perhaps even liked it – and got a great trip under Richard Kingscote. Stone Age went out to lead and Kingscote tucked Bay Bridge just behind him, sneaking through to take the lead when Stone Age lost momentum and drifted out at the three-furlong marker. By then, William Buick had gotten Adayar into full flight on the far outside, and at the head of the homestretch it was Adayar with his head in front. But Bay Bridge soon had seized the advantage and held clear the 2021 Derby winner by a half-length. My Prospero, Baaeed’s William Haggas-trained stablemate, nosed out Baaeed for third. Stone Age, owned by Peter Brant, stayed on for fifth.  Bay Bridge (who paid $30.40 in America) gave sire New Bay his second Group 1 winner on the card following Bayside Boy’s upset of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. The 4-year-old colt, who is done racing this year, is trained by Michael Stoute, who said Bay Bridge had come out of his last race, the June 2 Eclipse Stakes, with “a knock” and required plenty of time to recover and regain full fitness.  “We thought the favorite was unbeatable,” said Stoute, who trains Bay Bridge for James Wigan and Ballylinch Stud.  Adayar didn’t make his 2022 debut until Sept. 8, winning a minor race at Doncaster, and ran well in defeat. “We know he’s back on the top table again,” trainer Charlie Appleby said.  Appleby and Godolphin already have Rebel’s Romance pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Turf; perhaps Adayar could join him.  Baaeed now is joining the ranks of English stallions. He emerged from relative obscurity last summer to become Europe’s best miler – and he might still be that. But at 1 1/4 miles over soft ground in his what was supposed to be a grand finale, Baaeed finally was beaten. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.