The Aga Khan has been associated with high-class racehorses since the early 1920s. The third Aga Khan's first runners including the legendary Mumtaz Mahal, described by the National Horseracing Musuem in Newmarket, England, as "just about the best 2-year-old filly seen in the 20th century." Ultimately, 13 times leading owner in Britain, the tradition of success established by the Aga Khan III, would be upheld by his grandson, the Aga Khan IV. He died in February this year, but runners from the Aga Khan Studs have upheld his legacy in no uncertain terms, his 3-year-old colt Daryz taking the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), and Oct. 18, the 4-year-old gelding Calandagan capturing an extremely competitive renewal of the Champion Stakes (G1).
A winner by 10 lengths on the second of two starts at 2, Calandagan was runner-up in a listed race on his debut the following year, but then captured, in succession, the 2024 Prix Noailles (G3), Prix Hocquart (G3), and King Edward VII Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot. He would have been a formidable contender for the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby, G1), but as a gelding he was ineligible. Dropping down in distance for the International Stakes (G1), Calandagan ran that year's co-world high weight City of Troy to a length. He ended 2024 with another second, beaten a half-length by Anmaat, after being caught close to home, in the Champion Stakes (G1).
This year, Calandagan opened the campaign with a second to the Japanese runner Danon Decile in the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1T), then was outstayed late by Jan Brueghel in the Coronation Cup (G1). At this point some questions were being asked about Calandagan's enthusiasm, but they were brushed aside by his performance in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1), where he quickened away to score by 3 1/2 lengths from Aventure, runner-up in last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), and subsequently an impressive winner of this year's Prix Vermeille (G1). He then confirmed his standing as an outstanding middle-distance performer, defeating Kalpana, herself winner of a group 1 on the Champion Stakes (G1) undercard, in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1). In the Champion Stakes, he had 2 1/4 lengths to spare over Ombudsman, currently the leader on the Longines World's Best Racehorse rankings. Off this effort there is a strong chance that Calandagan earns honors as European Horse of the Year, and he has a very good shot at top spot on the World's Best Racehorse ratings.
Calandagan is by Gleneagles, a very useful sire, but not one who ranks as a member of the European sire elite, having been advertised to stand at €20,000 in 2025.
That said, Gleneagles was very close the top of the tree as a runner. At 2 he was crowned 2014 champion 2-year-old in Ireland after winning four of his six starts, including the Vincent O'Brien National Stakes (G1), Futurity Stakes (G2), and Tyros Stakes (G3). At 3, he was even better, earning a rating as European champion 3-year-old miler after capturing the Two Thousand Guineas (G1), Irish Two Thousand Guineas (G1) and St. James's Palace Stakes (G1).
As well as an outstanding race record, Gleneagles also owns a stellar pedigree. He's by Galileo out of the group-winning You'resothrilling, a sister to Giant's Causeway, a formula that makes him a brother to 2017 European champion 2-year-old filly Happily, 2021 Prix de Diane (French Oaks, G1) heroine Joan of Arc, and four other stakes winners.
Gleneagles has been represented by six crops of 3-year-olds and up and they've supplied 43 stakes winners, 28 group or graded. In addition to Calandagan, his other group/grade 1 winners are the 2024 July Cup Stakes (G1) victor Mill Stream (who has You'resothrilling/Giant's Causeway 2x4); Loving Dream, successful in the 2021 Prix de Royallieu (G1); Highland Chief, who captured the 2022 Man 'o War Stakes (G1T); and the 2024 Deutsches Derby (G1) scorer Palladium.
Calandagan is out of Calayana, a daughter of Sinndar who and earned black type with a second in the 2017 Prix Minerve (G3). She is also dam of Calamandra, a daughter of New Bay who is listed-placed in France in 2025. Calayana is the only black-type horse to appear under the pedigree of the second dam, Clariyn (by Acclamation). A winner over 1 1/4 miles, Clariyn, is half sister to Canndal (by Medicean), who never won a black-type event, but did take second in the 2015 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T).
The third dam of Calandagan, Clodovina, entered the Aga Khan Studs following the purchase of the entire bloodstock of the estate of Jean-Luc Lagardere, who most notably owned twice-leading French sire Linamix. A black-type-placed performer by Rock of Gibraltar, Clodovina was a half sister to the 2003 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas, G1) victor, Clodovil (by Rock of Gibraltar's sire, Danehill), both out of Clodora, a Linamix mare who captured the 1997 Prix de l'Opera (G2). Clodovina was also half sister to the group-winning and group 1-placed Colombian, and to the dam of the 2022 South African Derby (G1) winner, Aragosta.
So, when we look at Calandagan's immediate pedigree, we can see that, in summary, he's the best runner by a good but far from exceptional sire, and is the first stakes winner of any description to be found in the first three dams.
What Calandagan does have is an intriguing pedigree pattern that focuses a deep background through a few close relatives. We'll start with Gleneagles who is by a son of Sadler's Wells, out of a mare by Storm Cat (a Northern Dancer/Secretariat cross). From there we'll go to Sinndar, who is a Northern Dancer/Sir Gaylord (half brother to to Secretariat) cross, and his grandsire, Chief's Crown, is a Northern Dancer/Secretariat cross, and Sinndar is out of a mare by a son of Mill Reef, who is a son of Never Bend, a half brother to Bold Reason, the broodmare sire of Sadler's Wells. That means Sinndar (Northern Dancer/Never Bend) is both a similar cross to Sadler's Wells, and has notable background similarities to Gleneagles. Incidentally the two sets of half siblings Secretariat and Sir Gaylord, and Never Bend and Bold Reason have further similarities as Secretariat and Never Bend are Nasrullah line, and Sir Gaylord and Bold Reason are Royal Charger (close relative to Nasrullah) line.
Calandagan's second dam is by Acclamation, a son of Royal Applause, who is a Northern Dancer-line stallion out of a mare by a son of Bold Bidder (by Bold Ruler), so he's a similar cross to both Storm Cat (broodmare sire of Gleneagles) and Chief's Crown. There are already 19 stakes winners with Storm Cat and Royal Applause combined, including—in addition to Calandagan—other group/grade 1 winners Blue Point, Althiqa, Khaadem, Mysterious Night, and Argos, the first four all having their Storm Cat through Giant's Causeway, who we've noted as a brother to the dam of Gleneagles.
