Owned and bred by Aga Khan IV he showed promise as a juvenile, winning once and running well in the Observer Gold Cup and the Prix Thomas Bryon.
Kalamoun's dam Khairunissa was a useful racemare who finished third in the Prix d'Arenberg in 1962 and was the daughter of an even faster mare in Palariva, whose wins included the King's Stand Stakes.
He was then sent to England and moved up sharply in class to contest the Group One Observer Gold Cup over one mile at Doncaster Racecourse in October and finished fourth behind Noble Decree, Ksar and Stanleyville.
Three weeks later Kalamoun met African Sky and Satingo again and started the 4.4/1 fourth choice in the betting for the Poule d'Essai des Poulains over the same course and distance.
Kalamoun took the lead in the closing stages and drew away to win by two lengths with the outsider Bally Game taking second ahead of Satingo and African Sky.
On 3 June Kalamoun attempted to win his third consecutive Group One race when he was stepped up to 2400 metres for the Prix du Jockey Club on heavy ground at Chantilly Racecourse.
Kalamoun produced what was arguably his best performance, taking the lead 2000 metres from the finish and accelerating away from his rivals to win by three lengths from Rose Laurel, with Sparkler and Boldboy in third and fourth.