Juddmonte

Owner: Khalid Abdullah

Birthdate: 1937

Died: Jan. 12, 2021

Birthplace: Ta’if, Saudi Arabia

Residences: Fairlawne Estate, Kent, England; London, England; Saudi Arabia; Paris, Kentucky; farms in Kildare, Ireland; Newmarket, England; and Kentucky

Family: four sons

Brother-in-law of King Salman of Saudi Arabia, Khalid Abdullah came to Paris in the 1950s, and later to London in the 1960s.

As a businessman, he owned one percent of JPMorgan Chase and Co. and founded the multi-national conglomerate Mawarid that now is run by his four sons. Mawarid is a group of 30 companies that run various business interests in construction, trading and export, electronics, Orbit satellite television, 50% ownership of American Express GCC, and has links to Yum! Brands, Revlon, Christian Dior, and other major brands. 

He began racing in 1977 by purchasing four horses. With the 1980 2,000 Guineas win of Known Fact, Abdullah turned to breeding, and began his dynasty with his classic winner at stud, although he said that the dam is the key. Juddmonte has won more than 150 Group 1 races, more than 125 by homebreds such as Flintshire, Emollient, Seek Again, Empire Maker, Banks Hill, Dancing Brave, and Frankel. Among Juddmonte's star broodmares is the great Hasili, dam of five Group 1 winners.

In 2016, Arrogate gave Juddmonte its fifth career Breeders' Cup win when he outfinished California Chrome to win the $6 million Classic. After the 2016 season, Juddmonte Farms was named the Eclipse Award winner as outstanding owner. Arrogate continued his brilliance for Juddmonte in 2017, winning the $12 million Pegasus World Cup and the $10 million Dubai World Cup to become the richest North American Thoroughbred of all time.

Juddmonte was honored in 2017 with its fourth Eclipse Award as outstanding owner after also winning in 1992, 2003, and 2016. Juddmonte is a five time winner of the Eclipse Award as outstanding breeder.

In 2018, Juddmonte won two Breeders' Cup races: the Mile with Expert Eye and the Longines Turf with superstar racemare Enable. Juddmonte also campaigned $2.2 million earner Tacitus, runner-up in the 2019 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets.

Juddmonte picked up its sixth and seventh Breeders’ Cup wins in 2018 with Expert Eye in the Breeders’ Cup Mile and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Enable in the Longines Turf.

In 2019, Juddmonte won the Tampa Bay Derby and Wood Memorial Stakes with Tacitus, who was the leading points earner on the road to the 2019 Kentucky Derby.

In 2021, Juddmonte finished second in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve with 25-1 shot Mandaloun, giving them their third runner-up finish in the Derby. They were previously second with Aptitude in 2000 and favored Empire Maker in 2003. 

In February 2022, Mandaloun was elevated to first place in the 2021 Kentucky Derby after Medina Spirit was disqualified due to a medication positive. The colt, who was also placed first in the 2021 Haskell Invitational after a rival was disqualified for interference, became Juddmonte’s first Derby winner nearly 10 months after the race was held.