Royal Academy is an Irish

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 Thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 racehorse

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

 bred in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 best known as the winner of the 1990 Breeders' Cup Mile

Breeders' Cup Mile

The Breeders' Cup Mile is a Grade 1 Weight for Age stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses three years old and up, run on a grass course. It has been conducted annually as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships since the event's inception in 1984...

 in which famed British jockey Lester Piggott

Lester Piggott

Lester Keith Piggott is a retired English professional jockey, popularly known as "The Long Fellow". With 4,493 career wins, including nine Epsom Derby victories, he is one of the most well-known English flat racing jockeys of all time....

 came out of retirement to ride the colt to victory.

In 1991 Royal Academy was retired to stud

Horse breeding

Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...

 at Coolmore Stud's

Coolmore Stud

Coolmore Stud, in Fethard, South Tipperary in Ireland, is the world's largest breeding operation of thoroughbred racehorses. It was established in 1975....

 American arm, Ashford Stud

Ashford Stud

Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky is the American arm of the international commercial Thoroughbred horse breeding operation Coolmore Stud of County Tipperary in the Republic of Ireland.Twelve stallions will stand at Ashford Stud in 2011....

 in Versailles, Kentucky

Versailles, Kentucky

As of the census of 2000, there were 7,511 people, 3,160 households, and 2,110 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 3,330 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.18% White, 8.67% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.35%...

. Among others, he sired 2001 Breeders' Cup Mile winner Val Royal

Val Royal

Val Royal was a French-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who competed successfully in France and the United States. Best known for winning the 2001 Breeders' Cup Mile, he was bred and raced by Jean-Luc Lagardere. Val Royal's dam was Vadlava, a daughter of the 1981 French Derby winner, Bikala...

, Bullish Luck

Bullish Luck

Bullish Luck is a Hong Kong based Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred in Kentucky, he is the son of the 1990 Breeders' Cup Mile winner Royal Academy and out of the Alysheba mare Wild Vintage...

 who in 2006 was voted Hong Kong Horse of the Year

Hong Kong Horse of the Year

Horse of the Year is the most prestigious honor in Thoroughbred horse racing given by racing organizations in a variety of countries around the world....

 and has career earnings of $6,435,501 and of Bel Esprit who is the sire of Black Caviar

Black Caviar (horse)

Black Caviar is an undefeated Australian Thoroughbred racehorse, considered to be the best sprinter in the world, having been named WTRR World Champion Sprinter in 2010. On 31 March 2011 Black Caviar was rated one of the top Thoroughbred racehorses in the world for the first quarter of 2011 by...

who in 2011 is rated the best sprinter in the world.