Kalpana Bids Farewell to the Track and Now Seeks to Yield New Champions for Juddmonte
The formidable daughter of Study of Man has been retired following her performance on British Champions Day. A winner of four G1 contests, including this season's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Yorkshire Oaks, she will continue her career as a broodmare at Banstead Manor Stud
NEWMARKET, England (Special for Turf Diario).— Kalpana will not race again. Juddmonte confirmed on Monday the retirement of one of its most outstanding fillies in recent years, closing a career headlined by four G1 victories and the unforgettable memory of her triumph in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) at Ascot, where she defeated the males and outslugged none other than Calandagan (Gleneagles).
At age five, the daughter of Study of Man will leave the track to join the broodmare band at Banstead Manor Stud, following three seasons defined by her consistency, stamina, and remarkable competitive grit.
Trained by Andrew Balding, Kalpana entered last Saturday's British Champions Day eyeing a third consecutive victory on the fixture, but finished seventh in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (G1), behind Minnie Hauk (Frankel).
Far from altering the assessment of her career, the performance ultimately convinced her connections that the time had come to bring an extraordinary campaign to a close.
“She was a star. I think her biggest virtues were her honesty and her soundness over the last three seasons. She always tried her heart out, and we never had soundness issues with her. She possessed a will to win that made her battle right to the wire,” explained Barry Mahon, racing manager for Juddmonte in Europe.
According to Mahon, the accumulated toll of a particularly demanding season took its toll in her final outing.
“Regrettably, Saturday proved to be one race too many after a long, tough year. She managed to pull it off the season before, but, as we saw with Minnie Hauk's win, there is a big difference between a 4-year-old filly and a 5-year-old mare. Perhaps at that age they just have fewer big performances left in the tank,” he reflected.
The King George, her unforgettable afternoon
Kalpana's campaign featured several standout moments, but none more significant than her July victory in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1).
On that occasion, the Juddmonte colorbearer bested Calandagan, one of the top horses in the world, in a performance that proved her ability to compete on equal terms against the boys.
A month later she shone once again at York, capturing the Yorkshire Oaks (G1) to cap off a top-class summer campaign.
“It was a very special day when she won the King George, especially having defeated Calandagan. It was an extraordinary performance. Then she backed it up by winning at York, wrapping up a fantastic week for us where Itemalso won the Juddmonte International,” Mahon recalled.
The autumn portion of the season proved more challenging. Kalpana was unable to achieve success in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) for a second straight year and failed to maintain her dominance on British Champions Day.
However, those late setbacks do not diminish a race record that ranks her among the finest fillies bred by Juddmonte.
In fact, only Midday (Oasis Dream) and Enable (Nathaniel) captured more European G1 titles among homebred females for the operation.
“Those were two amazingly talented mares, and Kalpana was right up there near them. She had a wonderful temperament and was so straightforward to train. She was truly special and will be very difficult to replace,” Mahonhighlighted.
A new chapter at Banstead Manor
Kalpana's destination is now Banstead Manor Stud, where she will launch her second career as one of the most important additions to the Juddmonte broodmare roster.
For now, no stallion choice has been finalized for her maiden season at stud. The operation announced that mating plans will be resolved in the coming weeks.
Expectations are naturally high that she will pass on to her offspring the defining qualities of her racing career.
“Hopefully she will now be a great broodmare and produce the next Juddmonte champion,” Mahon expressed.
Four G1 victories, a memorable conquest over Calandagan, and three seasons of absolute generosity compose Kalpana's racing legacy.
Her farewell did not produce the storybook ending her fans envisioned, but it comes after a stellar campaign that solidified her place among Juddmonte's great modern representatives on European turf.
Now a new journey begins, with the hope that her extraordinary quality will flourish in the generations to come.
