Khalid bin Abdullah Al Saud (1937–2021) facts for kids

Khalid bin Abdullah Al Saud (born in 1937 – died on 12 January 2021) was an important member of the House of Saud, the royal family of Saudi Arabia. He was a very successful businessman. However, he is most famous for owning Juddmonte Farms, a top horse breeding and racing operation. Prince Khalid was a leading figure in the world of Thoroughbred horseracing. Many amazing horses raced in his green, white, and pink colours, including Dancing Brave, Enable, and Frankel.

Early Life and Education

Prince Khalid was born in Ta'if, Saudi Arabia, in 1937. His father was Abdullah bin Abdul Rahman, who was a younger half-brother of King Abdulaziz. King Abdulaziz founded Saudi Arabia. Prince Khalid's mother was Noura bint Fahd Al Muhanna Aba Al Khail.

He studied history in the United States and in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. For a while, he worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After that, he started a very successful career in business. He learned a lot from a famous businessman named Sulaiman Olayan.

Prince Khalid's Business Ventures

Prince Khalid's main business was called Mawarid Holding. This company was one of Saudi Arabia's largest private businesses. It was involved in many different areas. These included money services, making things, building, medical supplies, and even media.

By the early 2000s, his four sons started to help run his businesses. In 1990, Fortune magazine estimated that Prince Khalid's wealth was about $1.0 billion.

A Champion in Horseracing

How Prince Khalid Started in Racing

Prince Khalid's father owned horses, but not for racing. Prince Khalid first saw horse racing on a trip to Longchamp in France in 1956. He didn't start owning racehorses himself until the late 1970s. When he began buying young horses (called yearlings), it marked the start of big investments in horseracing by owners from the Middle East. This changed the sport a lot.

In 1977, his first racing advisor bought four yearlings for him. The next year, Prince Khalid bought the two most expensive yearlings at a sale in Newmarket. One of these, Known Fact, won the Middle Park Stakes in 1979. Then, in 1980, Known Fact won the 2,000 Guineas, a very important race. This was Prince Khalid's first win in a major English Classic race. It was also the first time an Arab owner won such a race.

Juddmonte's Racing Successes

Khalid bin Abdullah's racing colours.

Frankel, one of the greatest racehorses of all time.

Prince Khalid's racing colours became famous. They were green silks with white sleeves and a pink sash and cap. These colours were often seen in the winner's circle at major races around the world.

In 1985, his horse Rainbow Quest won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in France. The next year, Dancing Brave won that race too. Dancing Brave also won the 2,000 Guineas and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He almost won the Derby as well, making it a truly amazing season.

Prince Khalid also started breeding his own horses. His breeding operation, Juddmonte, became very successful. He won all five British Classic races with horses he bred himself:

• The Epsom Derby with Quest For Fame (1990), Commander In Chief (1993), and Workforce (2010). Workforce even broke the course record!
• The St Leger with Toulon (1991).
• The 2,000 Guineas with Zafonic (1993) and Frankel (2011).
• The Oaks with Reams of Verse (1997) and Enable (2017).
• The 1,000 Guineas with Wince (1999) and Special Duty (2010).

Frankel was bred by Prince Khalid through three generations of his horses. Many people believe Frankel is one of the greatest racehorses ever. He won many top races, including the 2,000 Guineas.

Juddmonte horses also won many major races in France, Ireland, and North America. For example, Enable won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 2017 and 2018. Arrogate, a horse Juddmonte bought, was named the world's best horse in 2017.

Awards and Recognition

Prince Khalid received many awards for his success in horseracing. In North America, he won the Eclipse Award as Top Owner multiple times (1992, 2003, 2016, 2017). He also won five awards as the Top Breeder.

In Europe, he was the champion owner in Britain and France in 2003. He was also Britain's champion owner in 2010 and 2011. In 1983, he became an honorary member of The Jockey Club, a very respected organization in horse racing.

Juddmonte Farms: Breeding Champions

In 1982, Prince Khalid bought a stud farm in England and renamed it Juddmonte Farms. A stud farm is where horses are bred. He carefully built up a collection of top female horses (broodmares). By 2011, these mares were considered among the best in breeding history.

Juddmonte has farms in England, Ireland, and Kentucky in the United States. These farms are home to many famous stallions (male horses used for breeding), such as Dansili, Oasis Dream, Frankel, and Kingman.

Prince Khalid was very involved in choosing which horses would breed together. He also decided which trainers would work with his horses. In 2010, he said he wanted to build his own horse families, like other famous breeders.

By 2017, Juddmonte employed about 250 people. They had between 700 and 800 horses around the world, with about 250 of them actively racing.

Prince Khalid's Family Life

Prince Khalid was married to his cousin, Al Jawhara bint Abdulaziz. She was the daughter of King Abdulaziz. They had four sons and three daughters. One of his daughters, Nuf, married Prince Fahd, who was the son of King Salman. Another daughter, Fadwa, is married to Mohammad bin Nawwaf, who was a Saudi ambassador.

Prince Khalid was known for being very polite and humble. He was also a close friend of King Fahd, his brother-in-law.

Prince Khalid passed away on 12 January 2021.

Homes Around the World

Prince Khalid had homes in Saudi Arabia and in other countries. These homes were often close to his horse stables or famous racecourses. In the United States, he had a home in Kentucky. In Europe, he owned a house in Paris, France. In the United Kingdom, he had houses in London, Newmarket, and other areas like Gloucestershire and Kent. He also owned a house in Kildare, Ireland.