American Pharoah Tops Racehorse Rankings

Following his easy victory in the Aug. 2 William Hill Haskell Invitational Stakes (gr. I), Triple Crown winner American Pharoah has reclaimed the top spot in the sixth edition of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings for 2015, for 3-year-olds and upwards who raced between Jan. 1 and Aug. 9 this year.

American Pharoah, the first horse to win the American Triple Crown in 37 years, has won all six of his races this season for Zayat Stables and Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, five of them in grade I company. The Haskell was American Pharoah's first start since his historic achievement in the June 6 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), and he was never truly asked to run, winning under wraps by 2 1/4 lengths.

Just behind him in the rankings is Golden Horn, who bested his elders in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes (Eng-I) earlier this season. The 3-year-old colt, who also won the Investec Epsom Derby (Eng-I) and Betfred Dante Stakes (Eng-II), is undefeated in five career starts.

Golden Horn was declared out of July's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Eng-I) due to ground conditions but is set to run in next week's Juddmonte International (Eng-I). The highest rated race in the world, the Juddmonte International could potentially also feature The Grey Gatsby, dual-Guineas winner Gleneagles, and Australia's Criterion, among others.

Clearly two special 3-year-olds, American Pharoah and Golden Horn have distanced themselves from the others so far this year. Able Friend (AUS) and Shared Belief remain tied in third, while Solow and Treve remain tied in fifth. At the end of July, Solow added the Qatar Sussex Stakes (Eng-I) at Goodwood to the list of his accomplishments.

Moving up the rankings this month is Honor Code, who won the Aug. 8 Whitney Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course in dramatic fashion. In June, he notched his first top class victory in the NYRA.com Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I).

Captain of All, who romped home in the Mercury Sprint (Saf-I) at Greyville, is a newcomer to the rankings this month. His 4 1/2-length victory came in the final start of his career, as he has since been retired to stud.

Also newly ranked is Postponed, who won the King George in Golden Horn's absence.

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).