The official listing of the top horses in the world
(covering the period 1st May to 7th November 2010)
The 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) certainly lived up to it’s name, with BLAME (USA) [129] battling on bravely to deny a characteristic late charge from the mighty mare ZENYATTA (USA) [125] in a thrilling finish at Churchill Downs.
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World Thoroughbred Rankings Top 13 horses |
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Rank |
Horse |
Rating |
Trained |
1 |
Harbinger (GB) |
135 |
GB |
2 |
Blame (USA) |
129 |
USA |
3 |
Makfi (GB) |
128 |
FR |
3 |
Quality Road (USA) |
128 |
USA |
3 |
Workforce (GB) |
128 |
GB |
6 |
Canford Cliffs (IRE) |
127 |
GB |
6 |
Cape Blanco (IRE) |
127 |
IRE |
6 |
Nakayama Festa (JPN) |
127 |
JPN |
9 |
Rip Van Winkle (IRE) |
126 |
IRE |
10 |
Goldikova (IRE) |
125 |
FR |
10 |
So You Think (NZ) |
125 |
AUS |
10 |
Twice Over (GB) |
125 |
GB |
10 |
Zenyatta (USA) |
125 |
USA |
Never worse than third in 13 starts, Blame went into the Classic on the back of his only defeat of the season, having finished second to HAYNESFIELD (USA) [121] in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Belmont Park in October. Prior to that, he had won a Grade 3 at Pimlico before stepping up into the top class to win the Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) at Churchill Downs in June, and the Whitney Handicap (G1) at Saratoga in August.
Blame’s performance in the Breeders’ Cup Classic is the best performance on a non Turf surface in 2010 according to the World Thoroughbred Rankings, and places him second overall behind HARBINGER (GB) [135], who continues to lead the way on the strength of his outstanding 11 length triumph in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (sponsored by Betfair) (G1) at Ascot in July.
Zenyatta so nearly made it 20 wins from 20 career starts, gaining relentless ground from the tail of the field to go down by a head. The winner of 13 Grade 1 races, Zenyatta is the top filly or mare both on Dirt and on an Artificial surface, but she has now been joined as the leading female racehorse in the world by GOLDIKOVA (IRE) [125], who became the first horse to win three Breeders’ Cup races when taking the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) for the third successive year in impressive style.
Now the winner of 12 Group/Graded races, Goldikova produced a fine burst of acceleration to quicken clear of GIO PONTI (USA) [121] and THE USUAL Q T (USA) [120], with her old rival PACO BOY (IRE) [124] finishing strongly in fourth place.
SO YOU THINK (NZ) [125] became the highest rated Australian-trained horse since the inception of the World Rankings in 2004 with his victories in the Caulfield Yalumba Stakes (G1) at Caulfield, the Tatts Cox Plate (G1) at Moonee Valley and the Longines Mackinnon Stakes (G1) at Flemington. Evergreen ZIPPING (AUS) [120] showed he is better than ever at the age of nine when chasing home So You Think in the Cox Plate, just edging out WHOBEGTOYOU (AUS) [120] for second place.
However So You Think’s winning streak came to an end in the Emirates Melbourne Cup (G1), in which he finished third to French-trained AMERICAIN (USA) [121], who recorded the best performance by a stayer so far this year with his 2.75L success.
Also in Australia, BLACK CAVIAR (AUS) [122] recorded her eighth win from eight starts with a dazzling display to take the Patinack Farm Classic (G1) at Flemington by a commanding four lengths. In the process, she joined SACRED KINGDOM (AUS) [122] at the top of the sprinting tree, and became the third highest rated filly or mare in the current World Rankings behind only Goldikova and Zenyatta.
In Japan, BUENA VISTA (JPN) [121] also stamped herself a world-class filly when running out a very decisive two length winner of the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1) in Tokyo from PELUSA (JPN) [120], who is now the highest rated three year old in Japan.
TWICE OVER (GB) [125] completed a notable double when taking the Emirates Champion Stakes (G1) at Newmarket for the second successive year, defeating VISION D’ETAT (FR) [121] and Arlington Million (G1) winner DEBUSSY (IRE) [120].
The World Thoroughbred Rankings are compiled by the World Rankings Supervisory Committee and published by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA).
For further details on the World Thoroughbred Rankings, please contact:
Nigel Gray, co-chairman World Rankings Supervisory Committee
Garry O'Gorman
Senior Flat Handicapper, Irish Turf Club
Telephone +353 5997 26596
Email gaogorman@eircom.net
Tom
Robbins, chairman North American Ratings Committee
Executive Vice President, Racing & Industry Relations, Racing Secretary, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
Telephone +1 858 792 4230
Email tomr@dmtc.com
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The full list and further information on the World Thoroughbred Rankings are available on the IFHA web site http://www.ifhaonline.org/
The next edition of the World Thoroughbred Rankings will be released on 11th January 2011.