“Anyone would want to have Calandagan”: the champion who conquered the world… from within

"It is exactly what we seek to breed: a high-class horse, with acceleration, endurance, and versatility. He can run on any ground and over different distances," they say from the Aga Khan Studs

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Special for Turf Diario).— Having become the best racehorse on the planet during 2025, the champion Calandagan now begins the defense of his crown as World’s Best Racehorse in the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (G1-2,410 m, US$ 6,000,000 purse), a competition that has consecrated several of the greatest references of the intermediate distance on turf since its inclusion in the Dubai World Cup program.

Fantastic Light (Rahy) and Heart’s Cry (Sunday Silence) were fundamental winners in the early years, while St Nicholas Abbey (Montjeu) and Cirrus Des Aigles (Even Top) helped cement the race's reputation among the global elite during its second decade. In recent times, Mishriff (Make Believe), Rebel’s Romance (Dubawi), and the extraordinary Equinox (Kitasan Black) shone under the Meydan lights.

Following a string of 4 G1 victories between June and November of last year—spanning France, Great Britain, and, most significantly, Japan—Calandagan wrote his own page in history. In doing so, Calandagan became as popular among fans as he is admired by professionals and ratings experts. But what truly distinguishes a champion for those who know him best? And what does it mean for the Aga Khan Studs to breed and campaign such an iconic specimen wearing their famous emerald green and red silks?

Trainer Francis Graffard sometimes seems to enter a dreamlike state when recalling the milestones of Calandagan's extraordinary 2025 campaign, taking his time to evaluate what qualities elevate the son of Gleneagles to a level that very few Thoroughbreds reach. "What makes him better than the rest?" Graffard asks himself. "His consistency. Mentally and physically he is built for this and is extremely regular. Nothing disturbs him nowadays." Graffardconfirms that Calandagan was not exactly a problematic colt in his early days, but rather a lanky teenager. "He never had a bad temperament, but he was more backward and immature than we thought, both mentally and physically," the trainer explains.

"Starting the season with the best horse in the world is different. This year he will be the rival to beat every time he runs. But he doesn't know it, only we do." The professional adds: "It is very good for the sport that he can continue racing and being competitive, and hopefully he stays at the top. It has been great for us."

Nemone Routh has been a key piece in the Aga Khan Studs operation for over 25 years and, as racing manager in France, offers a comprehensive vision of what Calandagan's rise brings to the organization. "I think he is enormously important for us," says Routh, who trained in the industry with the International Racing Bureau and was at Nad Al Sheba the night Cigar (Palace Music) wrote the first chapter of the Dubai World Cup in 1996.

"He embodies what we try to breed: a high-class horse that possesses that blend of acceleration and strength. He is versatile, performs on any ground, and is competitive at both 2,000 and 2,400 meters. Last year he proved to be the complete package and I think he is fundamental for our brand." Routh adds: "He takes us to places we are not used to going. We had never had a winner in Japan before him, and he is invited to all the big races, so we can choose where we want to go. I think anyone would want to own Calandagan."

Calandagan is, of course, a gelding and will not contribute directly to the future generations of the Aga Khan Studs. However, his record still carries enormous weight in his immediate family, in addition to promoting the commercial aspirations of two important stallion stations and a broodmare band that regularly features at the top of purchase lists at sales.

"It is a new direction for us to have a gelding who is such a high-category horse," comments Routh. "All of his sisters that raced have won, and his dam, Calayana (Sinndar), is obviously producing well. It was a family of which we didn't have much left and he brought it back to life. All those sisters are worth a lot of money, so he added value to our bloodstock."

Returning to the tracks and the international stage, the manager concludes: "He is a great flagship for the stable and combines everything we do, because he was bred in Ireland, is trained in France, and competes worldwide. He brings together many of the different threads within the Aga Khan Studs."

There is always a temptation for those who work with elite horses to attribute human emotions and traits to them. His regular work rider and traveling companion, Jeremy Lobel, could be excused for falling into such anthropomorphisms, but his insight into what makes Calandagan tick is as precise as it is revealing. "Psychologically he is as tough as they come and now he really knows his trade," says Lobel.

"He has a real mindset and intelligence that sets him apart from others." Going into detail, Lobel reveals that his companion has a great sense of when and where he is in the preparation toward a target. "Something very particular about Calandagan is that he is a very quiet horse when he gallops, and he does exactly what you ask of him and nothing more," he explains. "When we try to keep him ticking over between races and don't really ask him to wake up too much, he understands."

"Then, about two weeks before the race, when we start asking for stronger gallops and for him to move a bit faster in the mornings, he knows it's time to enter race mode. He understands exactly what is required of him in both scenarios," the rider continues.

"If you leave him alone to go easy, he doesn't have anywhere near the same action as what was seen at the end of this week when he galloped over the Meydan dirt track. He almost rations his own efforts until you move the reins and push your hands against his shoulders; then he knows it's time. The response is instantaneous, he changes leads immediately and finds another gear."

All those elements were present in Calandagan when he came from far back to shadow Danon Decile (Epiphaneia) in the last edition of the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic.

Since then he has become the "complete package" and Meydan is, once again, the place that Graffard and Princess Zahra Aga Khan have chosen to launch what they hope will be another stellar season. They, and we, cannot wait.