With most leading horses on sabbatical, the biggest mover in the third edition of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for 2017 is Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner ALWAYS DREAMING (USA) [122].
 

 

In a field of 20, Always Dreaming was sent off as the favourite in the first leg of the American Triple Crown, and he took the lead early before going on to win by 2 ¾ lengths.  The 3-year-old colt has won all four of his starts in 2017 and came into the Kentucky Derby off of a five length score in the Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1). His next start will come in the Preakness Stakes (G1) on May 20.
 
The same day, CHURCHILL (IRE) [120] took the first European Classic of the season by posting a one length victory over Barney Roy in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas Stakes (G1). Churchill, who was named Europe’s 2016 champion 2-year-old colt, was making his first start of the year and has now won six consecutive races.
 
One race before the Guineas, SEVENTH HEAVEN (IRE) [119] won the Dunaden Jockey Club Stakes (G2) in her first start since finishing second to JACK HOBBS (GB) [123] in the LONGINES Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) on Dubai World Cup night.
 
Elsewhere, MINDING (IRE) [119], Europe’s reigning Horse of the Year, made her seasonal debut a winning one by taking the Camelot Irish EBF Mooresbridge Stakes (G2), and Japan’s reigning Horse of the Year, KITASAN BLACK (JPN) [121], added to his win column with a victory in the Tenno Sho (Spring) (G1) over CHEVAL GRAND (JPN) [119]. 
 
In Hong Kong, Japanese raider NEOREALISM (JPN) [119] defeated Pakistan Star by a neck in the AP Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1), while LUCKY BUBBLES (AUS) [119] won by the same margin against MR STUNNING (AUS) [120] in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (G1).

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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).  
 
For further details on the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, please contact:
 
 
Nigel Gray, co-chairman, LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee
Head of Handicapping and Race Planning, Hong Kong Jockey Club
Telephone +852 2966 8337
Email nigel.c.gray@hkjc.org.hk
 
Phillip Smith, co-chairman, LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee
Head of Handicapping, British Horseracing Authority 
Telephone +44 1386 834004
mail psmith@britishhorseracing.com
 
 
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 LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings are available on the IFHA website http://www.ifhaonline.org. 
 
The next edition of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings will be published on Thursday 8^th June 2017.