Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Bluestocking, a three-time G1 winner in 2024, has been retired to stud and will join the broodmare band at Juddmonte’s Banstead Manor base in the UK.
The news comes soon after Juddmonte’s US champion racemare Idiomatic was also retired last week with a minor injury that forced her out of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
On the other hand, exciting three-year-old filly Kalpana, who won the G1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot earlier this month, will stay in training next season.
Never out of the first four in a 13-race career, Bluestocking goes to the paddocks after a fantastic four-year-old season in which the daughter of Camelot won the Pretty Polly Stakes and Prix Vermeille before her decisive victory over French-trained Aventure in the Arc.
“We were blessed to have her, and to finish her career as she did was a joy,” said trainer Ralph Beckett, speaking to the Racing Post. “I was very proud of her.”
Also quoted by the Racing Post, Arc-winning jockey Rossa Ryan added: “She was a filly of a lifetime and has taken me to places where I never thought I would even dream about.
“To have been associated with her was an honour and a privilege, and I hope she’s half as good a broodmare as she was a racehorse.”
Five-time G1 winner Idiomatic was found lame last week and retired, but Andrew Balding-trained Kalpana will continue to race in 2025.
“It is not often that Juddmonte has had three outstanding fillies and mares at the same time and, as the season draws to a close, we have had some important decisions to make,” explained chief executive Douglas Erskine Crum.
“Idiomatic retired last week after a minor injury kept her from attempting a repeat of her win in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff this Saturday.
“Bluestocking has been the leading four-year-old filly in Europe this year and the two together bring further outstanding quality to our broodmare band both in the UK and the US. Kalpana will continue to race for us next year and is clearly an exciting prospect.”
Mating plans for Bluestocking and Idiomatic will be decided at a later date.
Frankel stud fee unchanged at £350,000
On a busy morning for Juddmonte, stallion fees for their UK roster at Banstead Manor have also been announced for the 2025 covering season.
Leading the way, as might be imagined, is the legendary Frankel. The world #1 stallion will stand at an unchanged fee of £350,000, while studmate Kingman also stays at £125,000 after a season in which he produced two more Classic winners.
Frankel’s son Chaldean, who won the 2,000 Guineas in 2023 after landing the Dewhurst at two, is also unchanged at £25,000. Hardy annual Oasis Dream remains at £15,000 while Bated Breath is at £8,000 (from £10,000).
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