Persian King was ridden in all of his races as a two-year-old by Pierre-Charles Boudot. On his racecourse debut the colt started 1.1/1 favourite for a maiden race over 1500 metres at Deauville Racecourse on 7 August but finished second, beaten two lengths by the Freddy Head-trained Anodor. On 1 September at Chantilly Racecourse Persian King started 2/5 favourite for a similar event over 1600 metres on good to soft ground and recorded his first success as he came home six lengths clear of his five opponents. Two weeks later the colt started 3/5 favourite for a more competitive race over the same course and distance and won again, taking the lead 300 metres out and accelerating away from his rivals to win "easily" by five lengths from Lone Peak. On 13 October Persian King was sent to England and was made 6/5 favourite for the Group 3 Autumn Stakes over the Rowley Mile at Newmarket Racecourse in which his seven opponents included four from England and three from the Irish stable of Aidan O'Brien. After tracking the leaders Persian King took the lead a furlong out and got the better of a "sustained duel" with Magna Grecia to win by a neck with three lengths back to Circus Maximus in third. After the race the owner's representative Anthony Stroud said He's a very good horse who has won his last three races. The jockey said he handled the ground really well but it turned out to be a tougher race than we thought. He certainly showed courage. He's out of a Dylan Thomas mare so we know he's going to stay further and I can see him going up in trip next season".
2019: three-year-old season
Boudot continued his association with Persian King in 2019, partnering the colt in all of his three starts. Before the start of the season, a majority share in the horse was acquired by Godolphin. The colt began his campaign in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau over 1600 metres at Longchamp Racecourse on 14 April. Starting the 1/5 favourite Persian King took the lead soon after the start and was never challenged, drawing away in the closing stages to win by five lengths from Epic Hero. Four weeks later, over the same course and distance on heavy ground, the colt was stepped up to the highest class and started the 1/2 favourite for the Group 1 Poule de'Essai des Poulains. His nine opponents included Shaman, Anodor, Munitions, San Donato, Duke of Hazzard and Van Beethoven. Persian King raced in fifth place as the outsider Senza Limiti set the pace before moving up on the inside to take the lead 300 metres from the finish. He kept on well in the closing stages to win by a length and a head from Shaman and San Donato. After the race Andre Fabre said "He would prefer good ground. The Jockey Club was the long-term plan, so we'll see. The other option is to wait for Ascot, but we'll decide with Sheikh Mohammed and Diane Wildenstein. The Jockey Club seems the obvious target." As Fabre had predicted, Persian King reappeared in the Prix du Jockey Club over 2000 metres at Chantilly on 2 June and went off the 1.8/1 favourite in a fifteen-runner field. After racing in mid division he took the lead inside the last 400 metres but was soon overtaken and beaten two lengths into second place by Sottsass. After the race Persian King was reported to be "sore" and Fabre announced in July that the colt would be unlikely to race again in 2019. In the 2019 World's Best Racehorse Rankings Persian King was given a rating of 117, making him the 112th best racehorse in the world.
Pedigree
Persian King is inbred 4 × 4 to Danzig, meaning that this stallion appears twice in the fourth generation of his pedigree.
