Excelebration

Excelebration
Racing silks of Derrick Smith
Sire	Exceed and Excel
Grandsire	Danehill
Dam	Sun Shower
Damsire	Indian Ridge
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	13 April 2008
Country	Ireland
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Owenstown Stud
Owner	Giuliano Manfredini Derrick Smith Mrs John Magnier Michael Tabor
Trainer	Marco Botti Aidan O'Brien
Record	15: 8-4-1
Earnings	£1,692,792
Major wins
Mehl-Mülhens-Rennen (2011) Hungerford Stakes (2011) Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (2011) Gladness Stakes (2012) Prix Jacques Le Marois (2012) Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (2012)

Excelebration (foaled 13 April 2008) is an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. As a three-year-old he recorded wins in the Mehl-Mülhens-Rennen and Hungerford Stakes, before winning his first Group 1 in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. After finishing second to the unbeaten Frankel in his first two starts of 2012 he recorded successive victories in the Prix Jacques Le Marois and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. These were followed by a fourth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Mile, after which he was retired to stud. He was trained by Marco Botti until being transferred to Aidan O'Brien at the end of the 2011 flat season.

Excelebration is a bay horse foaled on 13 April 2008. Bred by Owenstown Stud, he is the son of Exceed and Excel, an Australian horse that won the Newmarket Handicap. Exceed and Excel's sire was Danehill, winner of the Sprint Cup and a British Champion sire. Excelebration's dam, Sun Shower, only raced once and is the daughter of Indian Ridge.

Excelebration finished fourth in his first racecourse appearance in a maiden at Nottingham. He then won a Doncaster maiden and a class 3 race at Newmarket.

Excelebration started his three-year-old season in the Greenham Stakes, starting at 25/1, and finished second, four lengths behind 1/4 favourite Frankel. He then went to Germany for the Mehl-Mülhens-Rennen (German 2000 Guineas), which he won by seven lengths. He returned to England for the St. James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. After his win in Germany, he started the 10/1 second favourite and finished in third place behind Frankel (won had won the 2000 Guineas since the two last met) and Zoffany. Excelebration then went to Newbury for the Hungerford Stakes, winning by six lengths. After the Hungerford Stakes, Coolmore Stud purchased an interest in Excelebration. He travelled to France for the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. Starting as the 11/8 favourite, he won by 1½ lengths from Rio De La Plata in a field that also included Dubawi Gold and Planteur. His last race of the season came in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Champions' Day at Ascot. The race was won by Frankel by four lengths from Excelebration, with Coronation Stakes and Prix Jacques Le Marois winner Immortal Verse a further 3½ lengths back in third place.