Frankel is the son of 2001 Epsom Derby winner Galileo, a leading stallion, and Kind who won six races during her career. He was born on 11 February, 2008, and was named after the legendary American trainer Bobby Frankel, who died in November 2009.
Frankel was given a rating of 143 by Timeform, the highest mark awarded by the organisation in over forty years and their fourth highest of all time behind Sea Bird, Brigadier Gerard and Tudor Minstrel. In June 2012, following his win in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, Timeform raised its provisional rating to 147, making him the highest-rated horse in the organisation's history.
On Sunday the 25th of April 2021, Frankel was the first horse to be inducted into the Qipco British Champions Series Hall of Fame alongside Lester Piggott who is widely regarded as one of the greatest Flat jockeys of all time, having won almost 4,500 races during a glittering riding career. Piggott said of him "It's only right that Frankel is the first horse to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. He did everything so easily and was the best by far. He is the one horse that I wish I could have ridden."