H.H. Aga Khan

Born: Dec. 13, 1936, Geneva, Switzerland

Family: Children, Rahim Aga Khan, Zahra Aga Khan, Aly Muhammad Aga Khan, Hussain Aga Khan

Breeders’ Cup Record: 15-2-0-2 | $3,447,400

• Billionaire, philanthropist and spiritual leader, Prince Karim Aga Khan IV is also well known as an owner and breeder of Thoroughbreds.

• Has two previous Breeders’ Cup winners – Lashkari (GB), captured the inaugural running of Turf (G1) in 1984 and Kalanisi (IRE) won 2000 edition of race.

• This year, is targeting the $4 million Longines Turf with his good European filly Tarnawa (IRE), who was also cross-entered for the $2 million Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf (G1) after earning an automatic entry via the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win & You’re In” series upon winning Longines Prix de l’Opera (G1) Oct. 4 at Longchamp. Perfect in three 2020 starts, the homebred also won Prix Vermeille (G1) in September.

• Powerhouse on the international racing stage. Has won the Epsom Derby five times, including the record 10-length victory in 1981 by the ill-fated Shergar (GB), who was famously kidnapped and never found. In 2000, Sinndar (IRE) became the first horse to win Epsom Derby, Irish Derby (G1) and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) the same season. In 2008, his brilliant unbeaten filly Zarkava (IRE) won the Arc and was named Europe’s Cartier Horse of the Year.

• Trainers include Ireland-based Dermot Weld, Michael Halford and beginning in 2021 former Irish champion jockey Johnny Murtagh, who rode Kalanisi to his Breeders’ Cup win, and France-based Alain de Royer-Dupre, Jean-Claude Rouget, Mikel Delzangles and Francis-Henri Graffard

• Almost exclusively races homebreds but is ever keen to acquire new bloodlines, evidenced by acquisition of the late Francois Dupre's stock in 1977, the late Marcel Boussac’s in 1978 and Jean-Luc Lagardere’s in 2005.

• Major shareholder in Thoroughbred sales companies Arqana (France) and Goffs (Ireland).

• At age 20 in 1957, while a student at Harvard, became the leader of the Ismaili Muslims, a sect of Shia Islam with more than 15 million followers who consider him a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. He succeeded his grandfather, Aga Khan III, who also bred and raced Thoroughbreds.

• Born Shah Karim al-Husayni, is the elder son of Prince Aly Khan, who followed family’s long tradition of Thoroughbred racing and breeding. Aly Khan holds the distinction as the first owner in British Turf history to win more than £100,000 in a season. Along with his father, Aga Khan III, had for more than three decades one of finest racing and breeding operations in world. Aga Khan III won the Epsom Derby five times, starting in 1930 with Blenheim, eventually a leading U.S. sire, offspring including Triple Crown winner Whirlaway. After Aga Khan III’s death in 1957, Aly Khan inherited the Thoroughbred holdings of father who in 1954 had shifted Thoroughbred stable primarily to Chantilly, France. Aly Khan, who also rode successfully as an amateur, had five large breeding farms in Ireland (Gilltown, Ongar, Sheshoon, Ballymany and Sallymount), four in France (La Coquenne, Saint Crespin, Marly-la-Ville and Lassy) as well as famed racing stable at Chantilly. Calumet Farm owner Lucille Parker Markey named Racing Hall of Famer Alydar in his honor because she always addressed the prince as “Aly darling”. In 1960, died at age 48 in an automobile accident in Paris, France, after spending afternoon at Longchamp racecourse.

• Aga Khan IV resumed the family's rich racing traditions in 1970s. In 1973, he built a new stud in Normandy, Haras de Bonneval, and in 1980 completed construction of the resplendent Aiglemont complex near Chantilly, which includes a 100-stall training complex, a residential estate and offices where he oversees international business interests including hotels, airlines, and newspapers. Overall, four studs comprise 1,330 acres in Normandy.

• Stands stallions Sea The Stars (IRE) and (son) Harzand (IRE) at 2,400-acre Gilltown Stud, and Siyouni (FR), Zarak (FR), and Dariyan (FR) at Haras de Bonneval, where he boarded mares also reside.

• Has bred more than 100 Grade 1 or Group I winners from a broodmare band in Ireland and France that averages around 190 mares and that has continually developed since grandfather’s introduction of racing in 1920s during which time Sheshoon Stud (Ireland, 1923) and Haras de Saint-Crespin (Normandy, 1927) were founded, the latter where Aga Khan IV’s own mares are domiciled.

• Through organizations such as the Aga Khan Foundation, the imamate-funded aid agencies offer educational, health and housing services in South Asia and East Africa.

• Graduated from Harvard in 1959 with B.A. in Islamic history.

• Daughter Princess Zahra Aga Khan also is a successful owner.