Royal Anthem (horse)

Royal Anthem (April 2, 1995 – 2018) is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse and an active sire bred in the United States.

Royal Anthem
SireTheatrical
GrandsireNureyev
DamIn Neon
DamsireAck Ack
SexStallion
Foaled2 April 1995[1]
Died2018[2]
CountryUnited States
ColourBay
BreederJohn A. Franks
OwnerThe Thoroughbred Corp.
TrainerHenry Cecil
William I. Mott (from November, 1999)
Record12: 6-3-1
Earnings$1,876,876
Major wins
Fairway Stakes (1998)
King Edward VII Stakes (1998)
Canadian International Stakes (1998)
International Stakes (1999)
Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Handicap (2000)
Awards
Timeform rating: 135
Last updated on 7 December 2006

Background

Royal Anthem is a dark-coated bay horse with a small white star bred by John A. Franks. He was sired by Breeders' Cup Turf winner Theatrical.

Purchased by The Thoroughbred Corp., he first raced from a base in England, where he was trained by Henry Cecil and ridden by jockey Kieren Fallon.

Racing career

1998: three-year-old season

Royal Anthem began racing at age three. He won the first two races he entered and went on to capture the 1998 King Edward VII Stakes at Ascot Racecourse.[3] He was then moved up to Group One class to contest Britain's most prestigious all-aged race, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He started at odds of 7/2 and finished third behind Swain and High-Rise.

After a break of almost three months, Royal Anthem was sent to Canada for the Canadian International Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack. Ridden by American jockey Gary Stevens, the colt beat defending champion and future Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Chief Bearhart by two lengths.[4]

Royal Anthem was then sent to Churchill Downs in Kentucky to compete in the 1998 Breeders' Cup Turf. Six days before the race his trainer revealed that Royal Anthem was "hopping lame." Over the next few days, the horse appeared to recover but finished seventh of the fourteen runners behind Buck's Boy.

1999: four-year-old season

At age four in 1999, Royal Anthem finished second in the June 4 Coronation Cup to Daylami, a five-year-old who was his nemesis for the rest of the year. He finished second again in the Hardwicke Stakes, after which his handlers brought American jockey Gary Stevens to ride him in the Juddmonte International Stakes. Following an eight-length win, Royal Anthem was hailed by some in the United Kingdom as 'the best in the world'.[5] However, in his next outing, he finished fifth to winner Daylami in the Irish Champion Stakes and second to Daylami again in the 1999 Breeders' Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park in Florida.

2000: five-year-old season

After the Breeders' Cup race, his owner sent Royal Anthem to the Payson Park thoroughbred training facility near Indiantown, Florida, where his conditioning was taken over by U.S. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, who had trained Royal Anthem's sire, Theatrical. In February 2000, the horse made his first start for Mott with a win in the Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Handicap under jockey Jerry Bailey. He was scheduled to compete in the March 25 Dubai Sheema Classic at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, but a swollen tendon in his left foreleg prevented him from competing and ended his racing career.

Stud career

Royal Anthem was retired to stand at stud at Hopewell Farm in Midway, Kentucky. He stood at stud at [6] in Kilkenny, Ireland, as a successful dual purpose sire. He moved to Beech Tree Stud in 2016.[2] The best of his progeny is probably multiple Grade I winner Presious Passion.[7] Royal Anthem is the damsire of Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice.

He died of the influence of lymphangitis in his back leg in 2018.[2]

Pedigree
Pedigree of Royal Anthem (USA), bay stallion, 1995[1]
Sire
Theatrical (IRE)
1982		 Nureyev (USA)
1977		 Northern Dancer Nearctic
Natalma
Special Forli
Thong
Tree of Knowledge (IRE)
1977		 Sassafras Sheshoon
Ruta
Sensibility Hail To Reason
Pange
Dam
In Neon (USA)
1982		 Ack Ack (USA)
1966		 Battle Joined Armageddon
Ethel Walker
Fast Turn Turn-To
Cherokee Rose
Shamara (USA)
1973		 Dewan Bold Ruler
Sunshine Nell
Palsy Walsy Sea o Erin
Allie's Pal (Family: 8-k)

References
  1. "Royal Anthem". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-06-09.
  2. "Juddmonte International hero and sire Royal Anthem dies aged 23 Beech Tree Stud also reported the loss of veteran stallion Apple Tree". Racing Post. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  3. "King Edward VII Stakes result". Racing Post. 19 June 1998. Retrieved 2013-06-09.
  4. "Canadian International result". Racing Post. 18 October 1998. Retrieved 2013-06-09.
  5. HighBeam
  6. "Royal Anthem and Coroner". Tullogher House Stud. Retrieved 2013-06-09.
  7. "Royal Anthem Stud Record". Racing Post. 2012-02-15. Retrieved 2013-06-09.
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