Frankel, the world's highest-rated racehorse, left training Nov. 8 to return to his birthplace, Khalid Abdullah's Banstead Manor Stud, near Newmarket, England, where he will start a new career as a stallion for Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms.
According to a release, trainer Sir Henry Cecil and his staff bade farewell to the unbeaten homebred 4-year-old colt as he departed Warren Place for the final time the morning of Nov. 8.
Frankel, a champion all three years he raced, received a warm welcome at Banstead Manor from the Juddmonte team including its general manager, Philip Mitchell. "In the foaling unit on February 11, 2008, at 11.40 p.m., little did we realize that we were witnessing the birth of a phenomenal racehorse," Mitchelll said.
Frankel (Galileo—Kind, by Danehill) retired to stud as the winner of all 14 of his races. He won 10 group I stakes and became the first horse to twice run to an official rating of 140. Independent form assessors Timeform gave him a rating of 147—the highest figure the organization has ever awarded.
"There is no doubt Frankel has been a brilliant racehorse. I am pretty certain that there has never been a better or more talented Thoroughbred," Cecil said. "He had the speed to be a champion sprinter and then, once he grew up and settled, he got a distance with a turn of foot that makes champions.
"Today is a sad day in some ways for us as he has given us so much pleasure over the last three years," Cecil continued. "But I want to thank Frankel for so much—for being such a very special part of my training career. Thank you, Frankel."