Charlie Hills described Khaadem as a "horse of a lifetime" after announcing the retirement of his dual group 1-winning star following his run at Royal Ascot last month.
The 10-year-old, who amassed prize money of more than $2.7 million across 47 starts, became the first horse since Right Boy in 1959 to register back-to-back victories in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (G1) when winning at the royal meeting in 2024. He also raced four times in the United States.
Khaadem first came to the U.S. in 2024, when he finished second to Cogburn in the Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T) at Kentucky Downs.
He returned the following year with another run at the Turf Sprint Stakes, this time with a third-place finish behind Bear River and Howard Wolowitz. However, more success would come his way. Sent off as the third choice in his next start, Khaadem went from last to first inside the final eighth of a mile to win the Woodford Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland by a neck over Script. It wound up being his last victory in his long career.
Video: Woodford S. Presented by FanDuel (G2T)
Hills then sent Khaadem to the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) Nov. 1 at Del Mar. Once again, the 9-year-old came from far back, but this time could not catch Shisospicy and Ag Bullet, as he finished third, beaten 3 lengths.
Owned by Fitri Hay, Khaadem won 10 times in a career that started with a third-place finish in June 2018 at Newmarket Racecourse, and Hills has hailed the son of Dark Angel's consistency.
He said: "A decision was made after Royal Ascot. He pulled up fine, and he's as sound as a pound, but there's only so long you can keep racing for. He's been a cracking horse, and probably a horse of a lifetime for us.
"He's been consistently running at the top level for so many years, and he won an incredible amount of prize money as well as traveling the world. He had his quirks at times, but he loved fast ground."
Hills has been responsible for several top horses throughout his career, but he believes Khaadem, also a two-time winner at Goodwood in a 2019 handicap and the 2022 King George Stakes (G2), sits alongside the best he has trained.
He said: "He's right up there. Muhaarar, Chriselliam, and Battaash were all pretty special, but Khaadem was too and he's probably won more prize money than any of them. It was amazing for him to do what he did at Ascot, at his age and at that level."
Khaadem ended his career when 14th in last month's Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.
Hills added: "He's very sound, and he got sounder as he got older. In his early days, he had foot problems, but the farriers did a fantastic job with him and he grew out of them. He was great with the kids growing up, and having him around the place all the time was fantastic."
BloodHorse contributed to this story.
