Andrew Balding described Kalpana as a "horse of a lifetime" after the four-time group 1 winner ended her career on the track in the British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes (G1) Oct. 17 at Ascot Racecourse.
Bidding for a third win in the race, Kalpana failed to show her brilliant best after a long season, finishing seventh after a tardy start put her on the back foot in a contest won in impressive fashion by Minnie Hauk.
Kalpana provided Balding, her owner/breeders Juddmonte, and rider Colin Keane with an unforgettable day when winning the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) in July at Ascot, and she followed up that victory in the Yorkshire Oaks (G1) in her next start.
Her penultimate run came in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) where she finished fifth to Daryz and she retires to take up broodmare duties as the winner of nine of her 20 races, having earned £2,861,364 in prize money.
"Both fillies seem fine," said Balding, who also saddled the unplaced See The Fire in her final start. "They've had amazing careers and I'm just grateful both fillies came back in one piece.
"It's sad it had to end like that, but we feel York took its toll (on Kalpana) and then she ran well in the Arc, and it's just too much."
Paying tribute to Kalpana, who was at her best at Ascot and beat a field including previous winners Calandagan and Goliath in the King George, Balding said: "She's had an amazing career and she owes us nothing. The King George is a day I'll remember forever. They're special memories and she's a horse of a lifetime really."
