Animal Kingdom’s team was more than satisfied with the horse’s rehearsal at Ascot in a serious work-out on the track ahead of next month’s Queen Anne Stakes.
Managing owner John Messara of Arrowfield Stud joined American trainer Graham Motion to watch the gallop on the grass.
Animal Kingdom won the 2011 Kentucky Derby on dirt and March’s Dubai World Cup on the synthetic Tapeta surface.
The gallop was considered of such importance that race jockey John Velazquez flew from the United States to partner the horse.
Taking in the final five furlongs (1000m) of the straight course, the five-year-old stretched lengths away from his galloping companion and Velazquez pushed right him out to the post.
There was a moment of anxiety for the vastly experienced Puerto Rican as Animal Kingdom fly-jumped at the line, but the combination was quickly back on an even keel.
“He hadn’t been on soft turf like today but he handled it very well,” Velazquez said.
Referring to the minor fright, the 42-year-old said it was not serious.
“He just saw the line and jumped right on top of it,” he said.
“It’s a different place, and you’ve got to expect something new.
“The grass was going one way, and the line the other and he jumped on top of it, rather than over it.
“I knew he had seen something, but he’ll have blinkers and a shadow roll (noseband) on raceday anyway.”
Velazquez has experienced the Royal meeting himself already and won the 2009 Windsor Castle and Queen Mary Stakes on Wesley Ward’s quicksilver two-year-olds Strike The Tiger and Jealous Again.
“I know the track very well, you just need the horse to help you out,” he said.
Motion missed the incident after the line as he had accompanied Animal Kingdom to the start aboard his hack.
“John was very pleased and I’m really happy how he handled the soft grass,” he said.
Animal Kingdom is now owned by three parties – Arrowfield, Sheikh Mohammed and Team Valor.
The Queen Anne Stakes will be his final start before he takes up duties at Arrowfield Stud. He will stand the northern hemisphere season at Sheikh Mohammed’s Jonabell Farm in Kentucky.
