Baaeed’s career and unbeaten run ended with defeat in the Champion Stakes as Bay Bridge triumphed at Ascot.
The four-year-old, Europe’s top-rated horse, was denied a 11th successive win in his final race on British Champions Day.
The odds-on favourite did not threaten and finished fourth as Richard Kingscote steered the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Bay Bridge to victory.
“We thought the favourite was unbeatable,” Stoute told ITV Racing.
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“I thought we had a great chance of being second because he was in terrific shape.”
Ridden by Jim Crowley, Baaeed’s farewell comes 10 years after the legendary Frankel bowed out with victory in the same race with a record of 14 wins out of 14.
“We’ve all seen what he can do, but today it just wasn’t there,” Crowley said after the race.
“He’s a very special horse. I suppose it’s sad that he hasn’t finished his career unbeaten because we’ve come so far.”
Elsewhere, outsider Bayside Boy beat Charlie Appleby-trained Modern Games, ridden by William Buick, as well as 11-10 favourite Inspiral, trained by John and Thady Gosden, in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
