LONGINES WORLD’S BEST RACEHORSE
RANKINGS 2013
OVERVIEW
The global horseracing year 2013 will be remembered as the year of the
filly/mare . For the first time in official rankings history ( since the
commencement of the International Classifications back in 1977) , the top two
racehorses in the world are both female , namely a three year old French filly TREVE (FR)- and a six year old Australian mare- BLACK CAVIAR (AUS)- both
equally rated on a mark of 130 . The truly global nature of the LONGINES
World’s Best Racehorse Rankings 2013 is reflected in the geographical
breakdown of where the World’s Top Ten racehorses were trained with four
trained in Europe , three in the United States , two in Asia and one in Australia .
THE LONGINES WORLD'S BEST RACEHORSE RANKINGS
1st January -31th December 2013
TOP TEN
Rank
Horse
Rating
1=
130
BLACK CAVIAR (AUS)
Peter Moody - AUS
1=
130
TREVE (FR)
Mme C Head-Maarek - FR
3=
129
ORFEVRE (JPN)
Yasutoshi Ikee - JPN
3=
129
WISE DAN (USA)
Charles Lopresti - USA
5=
LORD KANALOA (JPN)
Takayuki Yasuda - JPN
128
5=
128
7=
Motion - USA
NOVELLIST (IRE)
Andreas Wohler - GER
ANIMAL KINGDOM (USA)
125
Graham
7=
MUCHO MACHO MAN (USA)
Ms Katherine Ritvo - USA)
125
7=
125
OLYMPIC GLORY (IRE)
7=
125
TORONADO (IRE)
Richard Hannon - GB
Richard Hannon - GB
The Australian supermare BLACK CAVIAR (AUS)(130) has already been
acclaimed in previous years as the ‘new benchmark of equine distaff
excellence ‘ by the panel of IFHA Handicappers responsible for the production
of the LONGINES Rankings and she continued in imperious fashion in 2013 by
winning three further Group 1 races (to make it a total of fifteen career Group
1 races ) before retiring unbeaten after her final start in the Darley T.J .Smith
Stakes (G1) in Randwick in April 2013. Having been rated 123 in 2010 , she
achieved her career high mark of 132 in 2011 before being rated 130 in both
2012 and 2013 , in the process becoming the first racehorse to hold the title of
best filly/mare in the world in three consecutive years. If proof of her
legendary status ‘down under’ were required , it is provided in the race title of
her joint best performance of 2013 ,namely the ‘Black Caviar Lightning Stakes’
(G1) which she won in Flemington in February 2013.
The French trained unbeaten three year old filly TREVE(FR)(130) won three
Group 1 races in 2013 culminating in her astonishing performance in beating
both the colts and the older horses with ease in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de
Triomphe (G1) at Longchamp (Paris). She is the highest rated European three
year old filly since the British trained Bosra Sham (USA)(131) back in 1996 and
it will be interesting to see if she can emulate Bosra Sham (USA) by replicating
the same rating ( also 131 in 1997 ) or perhaps rating even higher as she will
remain in training as a four year old. She is the first 3yo filly to top the overall
end of season rankings (ahead of the colts ) since the British trained three year
old Balanchine (USA) back in 1994 (who was also rated 130) and is officially
the best three year old filly this century ahead of the German trained
Danedream (GER)(128)(2011) and the French trained Zarkava (FR)(128)(2008)
Joint third in the LONGINES World Top Ten racehorses of 2013 ( along with
the Japanese horse ORFEVRE (JPN)(129)) was the six year old North American
trained gelding WISE DAN (USA)(129) whose commanding performance in
winning the Ricoh Woodbine Mile in Toronto in September entitled him to the
same rating he achieved in 2012 when he was voted ‘Horse of the Year’ in
America. He remains the best North American turf horse officially ( along with
Northern Spur (IRE)(1995)) since North America joined the official world
rankings back in 1995.
The Japanese trained five year old horse ORFEVRE (JPN)(129) , having finished
runner up to Treve (FR) in the ‘Arc’, finished his racing career with a career
best performance on his next start when romping home by eight lengths in the
Arima Kinen (G1) in Nakayama in December. His rating of 129 achieved there
is the highest Japanese rating this century ahead of both Deep Impact
(JPN)(127)(2006) and Nakayama Festa (JPN)(127)(2010) and just ahead of
their crack sprinter LORD KANALOA (JPN)(128) who won four Group 1 races in
2013 including a stunning career high repeat of his 2012 success in the
LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (G1) at Sha Tin in December. Rated 120 in 2012 ,
Lord Kanaloa (JPN) had earlier repeated his success in the Sprinters Stakes
(G1) at Nakayama having previously shown great versatility in distance in
winning the Yasuda Kinen (G1) at Tokyo racecourse in June. LORD KANALOA
(JPN)(128) is now the highest male Turf sprinter this century just ahead of the
Irish trained colt-Namid (GB)(127)(2000) and the best male Turf sprinter since
the British trained Dayjur (USA) back in 1990.
The German trained four year old colt NOVELLIST (GER)(128) was unbeaten in
2013 winning three Group 1 races with his standout performance being an
impressive five lengths win in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes
(Sponsored by Betfair )(G1) at Ascot in July . A rating of 128 achieved there
marks the first time ever that a German trained colt is overall best colt in
Europe and he would be officially the best trained German horse ( along with
the filly Danedream (GER)(128)(2011)) since Acatenango (GER) in the mid
nineteen eighties.
The remaining four horses who made up the LONGINES World Top Ten in 2013
were rated fully 3lbs behind the top six on a mark of 125 and comprised two
North American Non- Turf horses and two British trained turf milers. ANIMAL
KINGDOM (USA)(125) won the Dubai World Cup (Sponsored by Emirates
Airlines)(G1) at Meydan impressively in March, in the process showing his
great versatility for different surfaces . Winner of the Kentucky Derby in 2011
on a conventional dirt surface , his best performance in 2012 was on turf as a
gallant runner up to Wise Dan (USA)(129) in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1).
MUCHO MACHO MAN (USA) (125) was the highest rated dirt horse in 2013
going one better than in 2012 when winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at
Santa Anita Park (Los Angeles) defeating top three year old dirt horse WILL
TAKE CHARGE (USA)(124) and the Irish trained dirt debutant DECLARATION OF
WAR (USA)(124).
The best European turf milers of 2013 were both trained by Richard Hannon in
GB. OLYMPIC GLORY (IRE)(125) was narrowly defeated by the brilliant French
mare MOONLIGHT CLOUD IRE (123) in the Prix du Haras de Fresnay le Buffard
Jacques le Marois (G1) at Deauville in August before winning the Queen
Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored by Qipco )(G1) at Ascot impressively in
October. TORONADO (IRE)(125) got his revenge on his Irish trained adversary
DAWN APPROACH (IRE)(124) when winning the QIPCO Sussex Stakes (G1) at
Goodwood in July.