Excelebration

Excelebration (foaled 13 April 2008) is an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. As a three-year-old he recorded wins in the Mehl-Mülhens-Rennen and Hungerford Stakes, before winning his first Group 1 in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. After finishing second to the unbeaten Frankel in his first two starts of 2012 he recorded successive victories in the Prix Jacques Le Marois and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. These were followed by a fourth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Mile, after which he was retired to stud. He was trained by Marco Botti until being transferred to Aidan O'Brien at the end of the 2011 flat season.[1]

Excelebration
Racing silks of Derrick Smith
SireExceed And Excel
GrandsireDanehill
DamSun Shower
DamsireIndian Ridge
SexStallion
Foaled13 April 2008
CountryIreland
ColourBay
BreederOwenstown Stud
OwnerGiuliano Manfredini
Derrick Smith
Mrs John Magnier
Michael Tabor
TrainerMarco Botti
Aidan O'Brien
Record15: 8-4-1
Earnings£1,692,792
Major wins
Mehl-Mülhens-Rennen (2011)
Hungerford Stakes (2011)
Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (2011)
Gladness Stakes (2012)
Prix Jacques Le Marois (2012)
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (2012)

Background

Excelebration is a bay horse foaled on 13 April 2008. Bred by Owenstown Stud, he is the son of Exceed and Excel, an Australian horse that won the Newmarket Handicap. Exceed and Excel's sire was Danehill, winner of the Sprint Cup and a British Champion sire. Excelebration's dam, Sun Shower, only raced once and is the daughter of Indian Ridge.[1]

Racing career

2010: two-year-old season

Excelebration finished fourth in his first racecourse appearance in a maiden at Nottingham. He then won a Doncaster maiden and a class 3 race at Newmarket.[1]

2011: three-year-old-season

Excelebration started his three-year-old season in the Greenham Stakes, starting at 25/1, and finished second, four lengths behind 1/4 favourite Frankel.[2] He then went to Germany for the Mehl-Mülhens-Rennen (German 2000 Guineas), which he won by seven lengths.[3] He returned to England for the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. After his win in Germany, he started the 10/1 second favourite and finished in third place behind Frankel (won had won the 2000 Guineas since the two last met) and Zoffany.[4] Excelebration then went to Newbury for the Hungerford Stakes, winning by six lengths.[5] After the Hungerford Stakes, Coolmore Stud purchased an interest in Excelebration.[6] He travelled to France for the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. Starting as the 11/8 favourite, he won by 1½ lengths from Rio De La Plata in a field that also included Dubawi Gold and Planteur.[7] His last race of the season came in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Champions' Day at Ascot. The race was won by Frankel by four lengths from Excelebration, with Coronation Stakes and Prix Jacques Le Marois winner Immortal Verse a further 3½ lengths back in third place.[8]

2012: four-year-old season

Excelebration started the 2012 season by easily winning the Gladness Stakes. He then took on Frankel in the Lockinge Stakes. He finished second to Frankel, who won by five lengths.[9] At Royal Ascot he took on Frankel again in the Queen Anne Stakes. Frankel started at 1/10 and Excelebration was priced at 5/1. Frankel won by eleven lengths, with Excelebration again in second place.[10] Timeform rated Frankel's performance as the best in their 64-year history. Excelebration's next start came in the Prix Jacques Le Marois, which he won by 1¼ lengths from Dubai Duty Free Stakes winner Cityscape. The field also included Prix d'Ispahan winner Golden Lilac, Prix Rothschild winner Elusive Kate and Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Moonlight Cloud.[11] On 20 October at Ascot, Excelebration won the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Starting as the 10/11 favourite, he beat Cityscape by three lengths, with Elusive Kate a further three and a quarter lengths behind in third place.[12] On his final appearance, Excelebration was sent to California to contest the Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita Park. He started favourite but lacked his customary turn of foot and finished fourth of the nine runners behind the US trained horse Wise Dan. Excelebration earned £1,692,792 during his racing career.[1]

Assessment

Excelebration was officially rated as the joint seventh best horse in the world in 2011, with a rating of 126.[13] He was rated the third best miler behind Frankel and Canford Cliffs. At the end of 2012 he was ranked as the joint-third-best horse in the world with Black Caviar, behind only Frankel and Cirrus des Aigles.[14]

Stud record

Excelebration was retired from racing to become a breeding stallion for the Coolmore Stud in Ireland. His covering fee for the 2013 season was set at €22,500.[15] In his first season at stud he sired Barney Roy. Excelebration left Coolmore in 2019 and in 2021 was reported to be standing at stud in Morocco.[16]

Pedigree
Pedigree of Excelebration, bay colt, 2008[17]
Sire
Exceed and Excel (AUS)
b. 2000		 Danehill
b. 1986		 Danzig
b. 1977		 Northern Dancer*
Pas de Nom
Razyana
b. 1981		 His Majesty
Spring Adieu
Patrona
ch. 1994		 Lomond
b. 1980		 Northern Dancer*
My Charmer
Gladiolus
ch. 1974		 Watch Your Step
Back Britches
Dam
Sun Shower (IRE)
b. 2001		 Indian Ridge
ch. 1985		 Ahonoora
ch. 1975		 Lorenzaccio
Helen Nichols
Hillbrow
ch. 1975		 Swing Easy
Golden City
Miss Kemble
b. 1994		 Warning
b. 1985		 Known Fact
Slightly Dangerous
Sarah Siddons
b. 1973		 Le Levanstell
Mariel

Note: b. = Bay, ch. = Chestnut

* Excelebration is inbred 4 × 4 to Northern Dancer. This means that the stallion appears twice in the fourth generation of his pedigree.

References
  1. "Excelebration". Racing Post. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
  2. "Greenham Stakes Result". Racing Post. 16 April 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  3. "Mehl-Mülhens-Rennen Result". Racing Post. 22 May 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  4. "St James's Palace Stakes Result". Racing Post. 14 June 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  5. "Hungerford Stakes Result". Racing Post. 13 August 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  6. "Coolmore purchase interest in Excelebration". Racing Post. 20 August 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  7. "Prix du Moulin de Longchamp Result". Racing Post. 11 September 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  8. "Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Result". Racing Post. 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  9. "Lockinge Stakes Result". Racing Post. 19 May 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  10. "Queen Anne Stakes Result". Racing Post. 19 June 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  11. "Prix Jacques Le Marois Result". Racing Post. 12 August 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  12. "Queen Elizabeth II Stakes result". Racing Post. 20 October 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
  13. "The 2011 World Thoroughbred Rankings". International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities. Archived from the original on 18 August 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  14. "The 2012 World Thoroughbred Rankings". International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  15. "Stallions: Excelebration". Coolmore. Archived from the original on 20 November 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  16. Thomas, James (31 July 2021). "No Nay Never and Showcasing share leading sire spoils at Glorious Goodwood". Racing Post. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  17. "Excelebration (IRE) pedigree". Equineline. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
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