At the midpoint of 2015, an exciting competition is underway for the title of LONGINES WORLD’S BEST JOCKEY. Leading the standings are Victor Espinoza and James McDonald, but several other riders are not far behind with plenty of racing yet to take place.
Established last year, the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) and LONGINES present the LONGINES WORLD’S BEST JOCKEY AWARD to the jockey with the best performance in the world’s highest-rated races.
The scoring for the award is based upon performances in the 100 highest-rated Group 1 and Grade 1 races established for the year by the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee. The scoring incorporates races from 1 December of the previous year until 30 November of the current year. Jockeys accrue 12 points for a win, 6 points for placing second, and 4 points for placing third.
As of 6 July 2015, Espinoza and McDonald are tied at the top with 66 points. Each has won five Group/Grade 1 contests that qualify under the competition and finished second in another.
McDonald took a commanding lead early in the year, as he rides predominately in Australia and had quite a bit of success during the fall racing season there. His Group 1 victories included the Liverpool City Council Chipping Norton Stakes, Canterbury Stakes, Ranvet Rawson Stakes, George Ryder Stakes and BMW Tancred Stakes.
Espinoza has since tied McDonald, thanks in large part to sweeping the American Triple Crown-- Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands, Xpressbet.com Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes presented by Draftkings-- with American Pharoah, who is atop the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings.
Espinoza’s other wins that added to his total for the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey competition came in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (sponsored by Gulf News) and the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes.
Right behind them in third place is Maxime Guyon, who has won four qualifying races and also has a second and a third, for a total of 58 points. Guyon received points for winning the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase with Flintshire, and the rest of his victories have come aboard Solow, after they paired together to take the Dubai Turf sponsored By DP World, the Prix d'Ispahan and the Queen Anne Stakes.
Not too far behind is Frankie Dettori, regular rider of Epsom Derby and Coral Eclipse Stakes winner Golden Horn, and the inaugural recipient of the Longines World's Best Jockey Award, Ryan Moore.
A list of the qualifying 100 races as well as updated results can be found at http://www.ifhaonline.org/Default.asp?section=Racing&area=3.
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’s 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 (“black type”)
- 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 Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) of the International Horse Sports Confederation and is affiliated to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
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