There is big news from Team Valor International about 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom. Animal Kingdom will return to horse racing and is pointed towards running in the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Mile on the turf at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, November 3. A win in Breeders’ Cup will make Animal Kingdom a chance to become the first Kentucky Derby winner to go on to win a Breeders Cup race since Unbridled in 1990.

In March, Animal Kingdom developed a stress fracture of the left hind leg which made him miss the Dubai World Cup. The injury did not require surgery and healed with 30 days of stall rest. Animal Kingdom resumed training in June and began breezing on August 21.

Over the summer, trainer Graham Motion suggested the Mile as a viable option if the 4-year-old colt encountered no setbacks. Team Valor CEO Barry Irwin agreed, but he and Motion decided to not reveal this plan until Animal Kingdom showed in his training that the race was a reasonable goal.

“Coming off the layoff, the Mile just seems very logical for him,” said Motion, who captured the Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2004 with Better Talk Now and Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf with Shared Account in 2010. “He certainly has the turn of foot to handle it. The timing is right for his schedule coming back, and the caliber of horse that he is, you’re not going to look for a nice, easy spot. It’s a totally different situation than last winter when we ran him in the Gulfstream allowance to get ready for the Dubai World Cup. Going a mile, we feel he should be very fit for this race, and he deserves the opportunity.”

We look forward to seeing Animal Kingdom and Team Valor International at Breeders’ Cup!