The IFHA WORLD THOROUGHBRED RACEHORSE RANKINGS for 2006
The IFHA World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings Conference took place in December 2006 to compile the World Rankings, the official end of season assessment of the top horses to have raced or been trained during 2006 in countries whose season runs from 1st January to 31st December.
Many excellent candidates vied for the position of the World's Top Ranked horse with the accolade going to Kiaran McLaughlin trained INVASOR (ARG) (129D). Having proved to be the champion 3yo in Uruguay, Invasor went on to be undefeated in North American and on his final outing of the year gained his fourth G1 in the US by winning the Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge.
The World's Top Ranked 3yo's were both dirt performers in North America, BERNARDINI (USA) (128D), won five of his six starts including three G1 races and DISCREET CAT (USA) (128D) who went through 2006 undefeated.
A three-way tie emerged for the World's Top Turf Performer indicating what a spirited year it was at the top level. The top older Turf horse was the Japanese champion DEEP IMPACT (JPN) (127T) whose victories included the G1 Japan Cup and JPN G1 Arima Kinen. Two 3yo European colts share the top spot, dual Irish trained G1 mile winner GEORGE WASHINGTON (IRE) (127T) and the French trained RAIL LINK (GB) (127T) who won the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe Lucien Barriere.
The leading filly & mare is the French trained PRIDE (FR) (123T) and there is another three-way tied for the top sprinter between the dirt performers HENNY HUGHES (USA) (120D), THOR'S ECHO (USA) (120D) and the leading Turf Sprinter TAKEOVER TARGET (AUS) (120T), trained in Australia who won the Global Sprint Challenge after winning Group Races in Australia, Great Britain and Japan.
The principle global category-toppers in the 2006 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings are shown below.
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The
World's Top Ranked Performer in 2006
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INVASOR (ARG)
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129 (Dirt)
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Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin - USA
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| Has a near perfect race record with just one defeat from ten starts. Champion 3yo in Uruguay and won his four G1 races in the US culminating with winning the Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge at Churchill Downs. | ||||||
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The
World's Top Ranked 3yo Performers in 2006
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BERNARDINI (USA)
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128 (Dirt)
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Trained by Tom Albertrani - USA
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| Won five of his six starts in 2006 including the G1 events the Preakness, Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup prior to finishing runner up to Invasor (ARG) in the Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge. | ||||||
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DISCREET CAT (USA)
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128 (Dirt)
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Trained by Saeed bin Suroor- USA
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| Undefeated in 2006 winning twice in UAE including the G2 UAE Derby and finished his 3yo season with an impressive win in the G1 Hill 'n Dale Cigar Mile defeating Breeders' Cup Mile third Badge of Silver (USA). | ||||||
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The
World's Top Ranked Turf Performers in 2006
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DEEP IMPACT (JPN)
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127 (Turf)
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Trained by Yasuo Ikee - JPN
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| The outstanding performer in Japan over the past two seasons and raced undefeated in his native Japan in 2006 winning from 2200m up to 3200m. His major victories were achieved in the G1 Japan Cup and JPN G1 Arima Kinen. | ||||||
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GEORGE WASHINGTON (IRE)
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127 (Turf)
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Trained by Aidan O'Brien - IRE
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| The leading European 2yo in 2005 and he is the joint top 3yo on Turf in the World Ranking in 2006 winning two G1 events over a mile, UltimatePoker.com 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and NetJets Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot. | ||||||
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RAIL LINK (GB)
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127 (Turf)
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Trained by Andre Fabre - FR
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| Improved with each race in 2006 winning his four outings in Group Races and ended the season with victory in the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe Lucien Barriere. | ||||||
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The World's
Top Ranked Filly & Mare in 2006
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PRIDE (FR)
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123 (Turf)
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Trained by A de Royer-Dupre - FR
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| Had another successful season with four wins including the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, Emirates Airline Champion Stakes and Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup and was also runner up in the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe Lucien Barriere. | ||||||
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The World's Top
Ranked 3yo Fillies in 2006
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ALEXANDROVA (IRE)
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118 (Turf)
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Trained by Aidan O'Brien - IRE
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| Scored a hat trick of wins in fillies G1 events over 2400m, Vodafone Oaks, Darley Irish Oaks and Aston Upthorpe Yorkshire Oaks. | ||||||
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MANDESHA (FR)
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118 (Turf)
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Trained by A de Royer-Dupre - FR
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Showed her versatility with three wins in fillies G1
events from 1600m to 2400m, Prix d'Astarte, Prix Vermeille - Lucien
Barriere and Prix de l'Opera - Lucien Barriere.
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WAIT A WHILE (USA)
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118 (Turf)
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Trained by Todd A Pletcher - USA
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| Having gained two Group wins on dirt was switched to Turf with great success winning three times including G1 events for fillies over 2000m, American Oaks Invitational and Yellow Ribbon Stakes | ||||||
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The Top Ranked Performers
in distance |
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3yo Turf
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3yo Dirt
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Category
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Horse
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Rating
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Trained
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Horse
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Rating
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Trained
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| S | Marchand D'or (FR) | 116 | Fr | Henny Hughes (USA) | 120 | USA |
| M | George Washington (IRE) | 127 | Ire | Discreet Cat (USA) | 128 | USA |
| I | Dylan Thomas (IRE) | 126 | Ire | Bernardini (USA) | 128 | USA |
| L | Rail Link (GB) | 127 | Fr | Jazil (USA) | 119 | USA |
| E | Sixties Icon (GB | 117 | GB | |||
| Song of Wind (JPN) | 117 | Jpn | ||||
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4yo and up Turf
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4yo and up Dirt
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Category
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Horse
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Rating
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Trained
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Horse
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Rating
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Trained
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| S | Takeover Target (AUS) | 120 | Aus | Thor's Echo (USA) | 120 | USA |
| M | David Junior (USA) | 123 | GB | Lava Man (USA) | 127 | USA |
| I | David Junior (USA) | 123 | GB | Invasor (ARG) | 129 | USA |
| Pride (FR) | 123 | Fr | ||||
| L | Deep Impact (JPN) | 127 | Jpn | |||
| E | Deep Impact (JPN) | 123 | Jpn | |||
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The Top Ranked Fillies
& Mares Performers in distance
categories and surfaces in the 2006 WTRR |
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3yo Turf
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3yo Dirt
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Category
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Horse
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Rating
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Trained
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Horse
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Rating
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Trained
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| S | - | |||||
| M | Spinning Queen (GB) | 117 | GB | Pine Island (USA) | 115 | USA |
| I | Mandesha (FR) | 118 | Fr | |||
| Wait A While (USA) | 118 | USA | ||||
| L | Alexandrova (IRE) | 118 | Ire | |||
| E | - | |||||
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4yo and up Turf
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4yo and up Dirt
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Category
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Horse
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Rating
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Trained
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Horse
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Rating
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Trained
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| S | - | Dubai Escapade (USA) | 116 | USA | ||
| M | Gorella (FR) | 118 | USA | Fleet Indian (USA) | 117 | USA |
| Round Pond (USA) | 117 | USA | ||||
| I | Pride (FR) | 123 | Fr | Fleet Indian (USA) | 117 | USA |
| L | Pride (FR) | 123 | Fr | |||
| E | Kastoria (IRE) | 117 | Ire | |||
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The Distance Categories
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| S | 5f - 6.5f : 1000m - 1300m | |
| S | North America | 5f - 7.99f : 1000m - 1599m |
| M | 6.51f - 9.49f : 1301m - 1899m | |
| I | 9.5f - 105f : 1900m - 2100m | |
| L | 10.51f - 13.5f : 2101m - 2700m | |
| E | 13.51f+ : 2701m+ | |
The full list and further information on the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings are available on the IFHA web site www.IFHAonline.org