The Longines Worlds Best Racehorse Rankings are for 3yos and upwards which raced between 1 January and 10 April 2016 and memorable performances by CALIFORNIA CHROME (USA) [126] and WINX (AUS) [126] have led them to be tied atop the second edition of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for 2016.
California Chrome
California Chrome impressed in the Gr1 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline when he romped to a 3 ¾- length victory despite his saddle slipping significantly during the race. The 5-year-old Lucky Pulpit horse improved his rating from 121 to 126 with that performance. California Chrome has won all three of his starts thus far in 2016. He took the Gr2 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita before going to Dubai, where he easily won the Trans Gulf Electromechanical Trophy at Meydan as a prep for the Dubai World Cup.
Joining California Chrome at the top of the rankings is Australia’s Winx. A troubled trip and a hefty weight assignment could not keep her from crossing the wire first in the Gr1 Star Doncaster Mile. With that victory, Winx pushed her winning streak to nine, including six Group 1 scores, dating back to May 2015. Other major wins to the Street Cry mare’s credit in 2016 include the Gr1 China Horse Club George Ryder Stakes, Gr1 Precise Air Chipping Norton Stakes, and the Gr2 Optus Business Apollo Stakes.
POSTPONED (IRE) [124] also posted a memorable performance in Dubai when he defeated Japanese champion DURAMENTE (JPN) [121] by two lengths in the Gr1 Dubai Sheema Classic Presented by Longines. LAST IMPACT (JPN) [118] was third. Postponed had begun the year with a three length score in the Gr2 Dubai City of Gold Sponsored by Skycargo, while Duramente won the Gr2 Nakayama Kinen at the end of February.
Joining Duramente in the co-fourth position is Australian sprinting sensation CHAUTAUQUA (AUS) [121], who went from last to first while defending his title in the Gr1 Darley T J Smith Stakes. He is the first horse to win the race in back-to-back years, although Black Caviar won it in both 2011 and 2013. Chautauqua’s connections now have the Gr1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize in Hong Kong on 1 May under consideration, as well as a trip to Royal Ascot in June.
Meanwhile, undefeated SONGBIRD (USA) [120] continued to impress in the lead up to the 6 May Gr1 Longines Kentucky Oaks. The 3-year-old Medaglia d’Oro filly took the Gr1 Santa Anita Oaks with ease in her last start, even though it was the first time she faced a sloppy track. Songbird has won all seven career starts by open lengths, and her other victories this year include the Gr2 Las Virgenes Stakes and Gr3 Santa Ysabel Stakes.
The highest-rated 3-year-old colt is undefeated NYQUIST (USA) [118], who extended his winning streak to six by taking the Gr1 Xpressbet.com Florida Derby. He started the year with a win in the Gr2 San Vicente Stakes, and the Uncle Mo colt is the expected favourite for the Gr1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands on 7 May.
Legal Eagle wins the Horse Chestnut Stakes
In South Africa, LEGAL EAGLE (SAF) [118] added another Group 1 to his list of accomplishments when he won the Gr1 H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes in April. Earlier this year, he took the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and finished second behind SMART CALL (SAF) [119] in the Gr1 J&B Met.
A number of horses find themselves newly ranked after a busy month of racing around the globe. Dubai World Cup night is known for its high-class card, and this year was no exception. VAZIRABAD (FR) [118] was victorious in the Gr2 Dubai Gold Cup Sponsored by Al Tayer Motors, BUFFERING (AUS) [118] took the Gr1 Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Meydan Hotels & Hospitality, and REAL STEEL (JPN) [119] won the Gr1 Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World.
Another Japanese newcomer is GOLD ACTOR (JPN) [119], who kicked off his 2016 season by winning the Gr2 Nikkei Sho. Elsewhere, DON INC (ARG) [118] is ranked after his gutsy half-length victory in the Gr1 Longines Gran Premio Latinoamericano. With that win, Don Inc became the fifth Argentine-trained horse to take the South American continental championship.
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LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Leading Horses |
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| Rank | Horse | Rating | Trained |
| 1 | CALIFORNIA CHROME (USA) | 126 | USA |
| 1 | WINX (AUS) | 126 | AUS |
| 3 | POSTPONED (IRE) | 124 | GB |
| 4 | CHAUTAUQUA (AUS) | 121 | AUS |
| 4 | DURAMENTE (JPN) | 121 | JPN |
| 6 | FROSTED (USA) | 120 | USA |
| 6 | SONGBIRD (USA) | 120 | USA |
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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 full list and further information on the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings are available on the IFHA website.
The next edition of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings will be published on Thursday, 12 May 2016.
(source: IFHA)
