American Pharoah has been crowned the 2015 LONGINES World鈥檚 Best Racehorse, making him the first United States 鈥揵ased runner since Curlin in 2008 to be rated the highest in the world.听 AMERICAN PHAROAH (USA) [134] was the first horse to sweep the American Triple Crown in 37 years, and he ran the highest rated race of his career in his final start, the Breeders鈥� Cup Classic (G1).
| LONGINES World鈥檚 Best Racehorse Rankings | |||
| Rank | Horse | Rating | Trained |
| 1 | AMERICAN PHAROAH (USA) | 134 | USA |
| 2 | GOLDEN HORN (GB) | 130 | GB |
| 3 | SHARED BELIEF (USA) | 126 | USA |
| 3 | TREVE (FR) | 126 | FR |
| 5 | ABLE FRIEND (AUS) | 125 | HK |
| 5 | SOLOW (FR) | 125 | FR |
Making the then 3-year-old colt鈥檚 6 陆 length victory in the Classic even more impressive is the fact all seven of his opponents won at least one Grade/Group 1 race in 2015.
American Pharoah, who was named America鈥檚 Horse of the Year, won seven of his eight starts in 2015, six of them coming in Grade 1 races. In addition to the Classic, his Grade 1 scores included the Triple Crown races鈥攖he Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands, Xpressbet.com Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes presented by DraftKings鈥攁s well as the Arkansas Derby and William Hill Haskell Invitational Stakes.
The only United States-based horse to be rated higher than American Pharoah in the last 20 years is Cigar, who finished 1996 at 135. In 2008, Curlin topped the rankings when he was rated at 130. Furthermore only two other American horses, Skip Away (1996) and Point Given (2001), reached a 130 rating as 3-year-olds.
American Pharoah was not the only impressive 3-year-old of 2015. Second in the rankings is GOLDEN HORN (GB) [130], who was named European Horse of the Year for his efforts. He won Group 1 races in three different countries, including the Investec Derby, Coral-Eclipse, QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes, and Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Golden Horn鈥檚 130 rating is equal to the highest rated horses in the world for the prior two years. In 2014, Just A Way (JPN) became the first Japan-based runner to take the title when he was rated at 130. For 2013, Black Caviar (AUS) and Treve (FR) shared the title at that rating.
TREVE (FR) [126] was highly-rated again during her 5-year-old season and finishes 2015 as the co-third highest rated horse in the world. Her two biggest victories of the year came in the Grand Prix Saint-Cloud (G1) and Qatar Prix Vermeille (G1). She finished fourth behind Golden Horn in the Arc, which she was attempting to win for a record third consecutive year.
Joining Treve in the third spot is SHARED BELIEF (USA) [126], who notched two victories during a season that was abbreviated by injury. The gelding started 2015 with an impressive victory in the San Antonio Invitational Stakes (G2), most notably defeating CALIFORNIA CHROME (USA) [121], America鈥檚 2014 Horse of the Year who went on to finish second in the 2015 Dubai World Cup (G1) behind PRINCE BISHOP (IRE) [121].
Shared Belief followed the San Antonio with a sharp score in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) at the beginning of March. That performance led to his year-end rating of 126.
Injured during his next start, the Charles Town Classic Stakes (G2), Shared Belief was later diagnosed with a non-displaced hip fracture. He was put back in training late in 2015 before tragically succumbing to colic in early December.
Hong Kong鈥檚 Horse of the Year ABLE FRIEND (AUS) [125] once again finds himself near the top of the rankings. Victories in such top class races as the Stewards鈥� Cup (G1), Queen鈥檚 Silver Jubilee Cup (G1), and Champions Mile (G1) make him the fifth highest rated horse in the world. In 2014, the gelding was the co-third highest rated horse in the world.
Ranked co-fifth is 贵谤补苍肠别鈥檚 sensational miler SOLOW (FR) [125], who won all six of his starts in 2015 and is currently in the midst of a nine race winning-streak. He raced around the world, and his top victories of the year came in the Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World (G1), Prix d鈥橧spahan (G1), Queen Anne Stakes (G1), Qatar Sussex Stakes (G1), and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Sponsored by QIPCO (G1).
Sitting in seventh place is ORDER OF ST GEORGE (IRE) [124], whose most impressive victory of the year came in the Palmerstown House Estate Irish St. Leger (G1). He won that day by a stunning 11 lengths.
A multitude of horses from across the globe find themselves tied for the eighth spot in the 2015 LONGINES World鈥檚 Best Racehorse Rankings. Among them are Australia鈥檚 sprinting sensations LANKAN RUPEE (AUS) [123] and CHAUTAUQUA (AUS) [123] as well as Europe鈥檚 crack sprinter MUHAARAR (GB) [123]. Japan鈥檚 highest rated horse of the year, A SHIN HIKARI (JPN) [123], also lands in this spot after taking the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (G1).
The highest rated female runners in the world behind Treve are also co-rated at 123. Australia鈥檚 WINX (AUS) [123] beat the boys when she powered home 4 3/4 lengths in front of CRITERION (NZ) [120] in the William Hill Cox Plate (G1), while BEHOLDER (USA) [123] became the first filly or mare to ever to take the TVG Pacific Classic (G1). She did so in devastating style, winning by 8 录 lengths.
贵谤补苍肠别鈥檚 DOLNIYA (FR) [120] impressed in the Dubai Sheema Classic Presented by LONGINES (G1), FOUND (IRE) [120] defeated Golden Horn in the LONGINES Breeders鈥� Cup Turf (G1), MECCA鈥橲 ANGEL (IRE) [120] took the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes (G1), and TEPIN (USA) [120] won the Breeders鈥� Cup Mile (G1) to round female runners to achieve a rating of 120 or higher.
KEEN ICE (USA) [122] holds the distinction of being the only horse to ever beat American Pharoah in graded stakes company. He earned his ranking when he defeated the champion by three-quarters of a length in the Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.
DURAMENTE (JPN) [121] garnered attention for his victories in the Satsuki Sho (G1) and Tokyo Yushun (G1) before injury put him on the sidelines, while MAURICE (JPN) [121] came on strong in the latter half of the year with wins in the Yasuda Kinen (G1), Mile Championship (G1) and LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (G1) for Japan.
CAPTAIN OF ALL (SAF) [121] won both the Tsogo Sun Sprint (G1) and Mercury Sprint (G1) in 2015 and represents South Africa, while Argentine sensation HI HAPPY (ARG) [120] finds himself in the rankings after winning the prestigious Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini (G1).
The full list and further information on the听LONGINES World鈥檚 Best Racehorse Rankings听are available on the IFHA website听.
Notes to Editors
1. The full LONGINES World鈥檚 Best Racehorse Rankings听can be found here. Also, a BOX link containing relevant media files, video clips etc can be found .
2. The听LONGINES World鈥檚 Best Racehorse Rankings听are compiled by the LONGINES World鈥檚 Best Racehorse Rankings Committee and published by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA).
For further details on the听LONGINES World鈥檚 Best Racehorse Rankings, please contact:
Nigel Gray, co-chairman, LONGINES World鈥檚 Best Racehorse Rankings Committee
Head of Handicapping and Race Planning, Hong Kong Jockey Club
Telephone +852听2966听8337
贰尘补颈濒听[email protected]
Phillip Smith, co-chairman, LONGINES World鈥檚 Best Racehorse Rankings Committee
Head of Handicapping, British Horseracing Authority
Telephone +44 1386 834004
贰尘补颈濒听[email protected]
3.听For further details, please contact:
Andrew Chesser
Secretary General, International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA)
Telephone +1 859 224 2741
Email [email protected]
4. About IFHA
The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) is the world peak body for the international sport of Thoroughbred racing. Its members are the national racing authorities across the globe which stage Thoroughbred races.
Major areas of the IFHA鈥檚 activities include:
- Making and amending the International Agreement on Breeding, Racing and Wagering (the IABRW)
- Policy development relating to welfare and safety of horses and riders
- International Race Planning and Grading (鈥渂lack type鈥�)
- World Rankings
- Equine Prohibited Substances and Practices
- Harmonization of Race Day Rules
- Fostering commercial development of the racing industry globally
The IFHA is a foundation member with F茅d茅ration Equestre Internationale (FEI) of the International Horse Sports Confederation and is affiliated to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
