Animal Kingdom nominated for two Royal Ascot races

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Ascot, England (Sports Network) - Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup winner Animal Kingdom has been nominated to a pair of stakes races in England that will mark the conclusion of his racing career.

Trained by Graham Motion, Animal Kingdom has been nominated for the Queen Anne Stakes on June 18 and Prince of Wales's Stakes on June 19 at Royal Ascot. The Queen Anne Stakes is a one-mile turf event and the Prince of Wales's Stakes is conducted at 1 1/4-miles on the grass.

"We are delighted with the number of entries, the range of countries that they represent and the overall quality," Nick Smith, head of communications and international racing at Ascot. "The interest from the USA is particularly strong this year, headlined by arguably the highest profile horse in the world in Animal Kingdom. If he were to add a Royal Ascot Group One to victories in the Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup he would cement and enhance his position as an all-time great on the world stage."

Owned by Team Valor along with Arrowfield Stud and Darley Racing, Animal Kingdom scored a two-length victory in this year's World Cup to go along with his 2011 Kentucky Derby victory.

In 11 career starts, the 5-year-old has been first five times and second five more times for $8,387,500.

When his racing career is over, Animal Kingdom will shuttle between Australia for the Southern Hemisphere breeding season and to Darley's Jonabell Farm in , Kentucky for Northern Hemisphere stud duty.