OVERVIEW
The global horseracing year 2013 will be remembered as the year of the filly/mare . For the first time in official rankings history ( since the commencement of the International Classifications back in 1977) , the top two racehorses in the world are both female , namely a three year old French filly - TREVE (FR)- and a six year old Australian mare- BLACK CAVIAR (AUS)- both equally rated on a mark of 130 . The truly global nature of the LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings 2013 is reflected in the geographical breakdown of where the World's Top Ten racehorses were trained with four trained in Europe, three in the United States, two in Asia and one in Australia.
|
LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings Leading Horses 1st January -31st December 2013 |
|||
Rank |
Horse |
Rating |
Trained |
1 |
BLACK CAVIAR (AUS) |
130 |
AUS |
1 |
TREVE (FR) |
130 |
FR |
3 |
ORFEVRE (JPN) |
129 |
JPN |
3 |
WISE DAN (USA) |
129 |
USA |
5 |
LORD KANALOA (JPN) |
128 |
JPN |
5 |
NOVELLIST (IRE) |
128 |
GER |
7 |
ANIMAL KINGDOM (USA) |
125 |
USA |
7 |
MUCHO MACHO MAN (USA) |
125 |
USA |
7 |
OLYMPIC GLORY (IRE) |
125 |
GB |
7 |
TORONADO (IRE) |
125 |
GB |
The Australian supermare BLACK CAVIAR (AUS)(130) has already been acclaimed in previous years as the 'new benchmark of equine distaff excellence ' by the panel of IFHA Handicappers responsible for the production of the LONGINES Rankings and she continued in imperious fashion in 2013 by winning three further Group 1 races (to make it a total of fifteen career Group 1 races ) before retiring unbeaten after her final start in the Darley T.J .Smith Stakes (G1) in Randwick in April 2013. Having been rated 123 in 2010 , she achieved her career high mark of 132 in 2011 before being rated 130 in both 2012 and 2013 , in the process becoming the first racehorse to hold the title of best filly/mare in the world in three consecutive years. If proof of her legendary status 'down under' were required , it is provided in the race title of her joint best performance of 2013 ,namely the 'Black Caviar Lightning Stakes' (G1) which she won in Flemington in February 2013.
The French trained unbeaten three year old filly TREVE(FR)(130) won three Group 1 races in 2013 culminating in her astonishing performance in beating both the colts and the older horses with ease in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) at Longchamp (Paris). She is the highest rated European three year old filly since the British trained Bosra Sham (USA)(131) back in 1996 and it will be interesting to see if she can emulate Bosra Sham (USA) by replicating the same rating ( also 131 in 1997 ) or perhaps rating even higher as she will remain in training as a four year old. She is the first 3yo filly to top the overall end of season rankings (ahead of the colts ) since the British trained three year old Balanchine (USA) back in 1994 (who was also rated 130) and is officially the best three year old filly this century ahead of the German trained Danedream (GER)(128)(2011) and the French trained Zarkava (IRE)(128)(2008)
Joint third in the LONGINES World Top Ten racehorses of 2013 ( along with the Japanese horse ORFEVRE (JPN)(129)) was the six year old North American trained gelding WISE DAN (USA)(129) whose commanding performance in winning the Ricoh Woodbine Mile in Toronto in September entitled him to the same rating he achieved in 2012 when he was voted 'Horse of the Year' in America. He remains the best North American turf horse officially ( along with Northern Spur (IRE)(1995)) since North America joined the official world rankings back in 1995.
The Japanese trained five year old horse ORFEVRE (JPN)(129) , having finished runner up to Treve (FR) in the 'Arc', finished his racing career with a career best performance on his next start when romping home by eight lengths in the Arima Kinen (G1) in Nakayama in December. His rating of 129 achieved there is the highest Japanese rating this century ahead of both Deep Impact (JPN)(127)(2006) and Nakayama Festa (JPN)(127)(2010) and just ahead of their crack sprinter LORD KANALOA (JPN)(128) who won four Group 1 races in 2013 including a stunning career high repeat of his 2012 success in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (G1) at Sha Tin in December. Rated 120 in 2012 , Lord Kanaloa (JPN) had earlier repeated his success in the Sprinters Stakes (G1) at Nakayama having previously shown great versatility in distance in winning the Yasuda Kinen (G1) at Tokyo racecourse in June. LORD KANALOA (JPN)(128) is now the highest male Turf sprinter this century and the best male Turf sprinter since the British trained Dayjur (USA) back in 1990.
The German trained four year old colt NOVELLIST (IRE)(128) was unbeaten in 2013 winning three Group 1 races with his standout performance being an impressive five lengths win in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Sponsored by Betfair )(G1) at Ascot in July . A rating of 128 achieved there marks the first time ever that a German trained colt is overall best colt in Europe and he would be officially the best trained German horse ( along with the filly Danedream (GER)(128)(2011)) since Acatenango (GER) in the mid nineteen eighties.
The remaining four horses who made up the LONGINES World Top Ten in 2013 were rated fully 3lbs behind the top six on a mark of 125 and comprised two North American Non- Turf horses and two British trained turf milers. ANIMAL KINGDOM (USA)(125) won the Dubai World Cup (Sponsored by Emirates Airlines)(G1) at Meydan impressively in March, in the process showing his great versatility for different surfaces . Winner of the Kentucky Derby in 2011 on a conventional dirt surface , his best performance in 2012 was on turf as a gallant runner up to Wise Dan (USA)(129) in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1). MUCHO MACHO MAN (USA) (125) was the highest rated dirt horse in 2013 going one better than in 2012 when winning the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita Park (Los Angeles) defeating top three year old dirt horse WILL TAKE CHARGE (USA)(124) and the Irish trained dirt debutant DECLARATION OF WAR (USA)(124).
The best European turf milers of 2013 were both trained by Richard Hannon in GB. OLYMPIC GLORY (IRE)(125) was narrowly defeated by the brilliant French mare MOONLIGHT CLOUD (GB) (123) in the Prix du Haras de Fresnay le Buffard Jacques le Marois (G1) at Deauville in August before winning the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored by Qipco )(G1) at Ascot impressively in October. TORONADO (IRE)(125) got his revenge on his Irish trained adversary DAWN APPROACH (IRE)(124) when winning the QIPCO Sussex Stakes (G1) at Goodwood in July.