Arrogate Voted Best For 2016

Arrogate downs Californiia Chrome in a thriller

With his impressive victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Gr1), ARROGATE (USA) [134] secured the titled of 2016 Longines World’s Best Racehorse. Arrogate won the Classic by a half-length after chasing down CALIFORNIA CHROME (USA) [133], the world’s second highest rated horse.

Arrogate, who did not make his career debut until April, won five of six starts in 2016. He came into the Classic off of his historic victory in the G1 Travers Stakes, where he broke a 37-year-old track record and won by 13 ½ lengths in his first attempt at stakes company.

This is the second year in a row that an American runner has been named the Longines World’s Best Race Horse. In 2015, American Pharoah, a Bob Baffert trainee like Arrogate, was also rated at 134 and topped the rankings. The only United States-based horse to be rated higher in the last two decades is Cigar, who finished 1996 at 135.

The Classic was California Chrome’s only defeat on the year, as he won his seven other starts. His graded stakes victories included the G1 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline, G1 $1 Million TVG Pacific Classic Stakes, G1 Awesome Again Stakes, G2 San Diego Handicap, and G2 San Pasqual Stakes.

Sitting in the third spot is WINX (AUS) [132], who received her highest rating after winning her second G1 William Hill Cox Plate, this time by a record eight lengths. Winx, who is both the highest rated turf horse and highest rated filly/mare in the world, won all eight of her starts in 2016 and has won 13 consecutive races dating back to May 2015.

Winx’s other stakes wins on the year included the G1 Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes, G1 Colgate Optic White Stakes, The G1 Star Doncaster Mile, G1 China Horse Club George Ryder Stakes, G1 Precise Air Chipping Norton Stakes, G2 Warwick Stakes, and G2 Optus Business Apollo Stakes.

In fourth position is ALMANZOR (FR) [129], who won his final five starts of the season. His first major victory came in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club in June before he went on to capture both the G1 QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes and the G1 QIPCO Champion Stakes.

Sharing the fifth spot are Japanese runners A SHIN HIKARI (JPN) [127] and MAURICE (JPN) [127], who both achieved important wins outside of their home country. A Shin Hikari took the G1 Prix d’Ispahan at Chantilly by open lengths, while Maurice started and ended the year in Hong Kong, winning both the G1 Champions Mile and G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup. In between, Maurice returned to Japan to take the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn).

FROSTED (USA) [126] is in seventh place after his impressive scores in the G1 Mohegan Sun Metropolitan Handicap, which he won by 14 lengths, and the G1 Whitney Stakes.

Rounding out the Top 10 are four horses who sit co-eighth in the rankings.

In Europe, FOUND (IRE) [124] earned her rating with her victory in the G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, which came in between finishing second to Almanzor in both the Irish Champion Stakes and Champion Stakes.

One of the horses Found defeated in the Arc was POSTPONED (IRE) [124], who won his four other starts in 2016, including the G1 Juddmonte International Stakes, G1 Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Cup (Sponsored by Investec), G1 Dubai Sheema Classic Presented by LONGINES, and G2 Dubai City of Gold Sponsored by Skycargo.

Meanwhile, in Australia HARTNELL (GB) [124] won three group contests including the G1 Yellowglen Turnbull Stakes before finishing second to Winx in the Cox Plate, and in Hong Kong, WERTHER (NZ) [124] claimed the G1 AP QEII Cup.

Overall, 319 horses, trained in 17 different countries, were rated 115 or higher. The full list and further information on the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings are available on the IFHA website ifhaonline.org.

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The LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings are compiled by the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee and published by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA).

The next edition of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings will be published on Thursday, 9 March 2017.

(source:  IFHA)