National Treasure Climbs in World Racehorse Rankings

National Treasure , fresh off of his win in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1), shares the honor of top United States-bred and -raced horse in the latest Longines World's Best Racehorse rankings released June 13.

The Kentucky-bred son of Quality Road   scored a runaway victory in the Met MileJune 8 at Saratoga Race Course, crossing the wire 6 1/4 lengths ahead of his closest rival. With that win, National Treasure improves to 2-0-0 from three starts and $3,769,000 this year.

He maintained his rating of 121, which puts him in a five-way tie for fourth. 

Joining him in that tie is U.S.-based Kentucky-bred Senor Buscador .

Senor Buscador hasn't raced since running third in the Dubai World Cup (G1) March 30 at Meydan Racecourse after winning the Saudi Cup. However, he's recently returned to the work tab at San Luis Rey Training Center. in Southern California.

Todd Fincher, who trains Senor Buscador for his breeder, Joey Peacock Jr., said an early target could be Del Mar's San Diego Handicap (G2), a race he won last year, July 27. 

"We would like to make the San Diego, but it might be cutting it a little bit too close. We will have to play it by ear," Fincher told BloodHorse June 13. "The Breeders' Cup Classic is the goal. If we get two or three races before then it would be great. Two minimum, but hopefully, if he's ready for the San Diego, maybe we can get three.

"We gave him a month off and we're just coming back into it. The first work was just a leg stretcher. He came back yesterday and had a nice three-eighths."

Leading the rankings are a pair of Kentucky-breds in Laurel River and City of Troy. Laurel River  maintains the top spot, a position he's held since the April 7 edition of the rankings thanks to his win in the Dubai World Cup. The Kentucky-bred son of Into Mischief   leads with a rating of 128. He's also rated as the highest dirt horse in the world.

Making a jump into the ranking is City of Troy , who won the Epsom Derby (G1) June 1. The son of Justify   picked up his first win of the year, taking the Derby by 2 3/4 lengths. He ranks second with a 123 rating, tied with Rebel's Romance  for the top turf rating. City of Troy is the top-rated 3-year-old in the world.

Interestingly, half of the top eight rated horses are 6-year-olds in Laurel River, Rebel's Romance, Romantic Warrior, and Senor Buscador.

Cogburn  also entered the picture this month, tied for ninth with a 120 rating. He won the June 8, 5 1/2-furlong Jaipur Stakes (G1T) with the fastest time ever at the distance in North America, on turf or dirt.

The complete ratings can be seen here.