American Pharoah Reigns in World’s Best Racehorse Rankings
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Breeders' Cup Classic winner American Pharoah sits atop the November IFHA's World's Best Racehorse Rankings. (Photos by Eclipse Sportswire)
In a battle that has raged between American Pharoah and Golden Horn since June, American Pharoah came out on top when the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) released its monthly Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings on Nov. 12.
The rankings took into account the Oct. 31 races of both horses at the Breeders’ Cup where American Pharoah won the Breeders’ Cup Classic by a record-tying 6 ½ lengths while Golden Horn finished second in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf to Found. American Pharoah’s rating has steadily improved over the year, with the colt taking over the top spot in the rankings with a 128 when the June edition was released and Golden Horn sitting third on that list with a 125.
Golden Horn took over the top spot in July when his rating improved to a 130 after winning the Coral-Eclipse Stakes but American Pharoah was back on top the following month with a 131 after his Haskell Invitational victory.
GOLDEN HORN
The two 3-year-old colts have controlled the top two spots in the ratings since that July rating with American Pharoah reigning in the top spot for four straight months. After his Classic victory, American Pharoah has jumped up two points in his rating, retiring with a 133.
There are still nearly two months left in the racing season but should American Pharoah hold that top spot at the year-end ranking released on Jan. 19, he will be the first North American-based horse since Curlin in 2008 to top the year-end rankings. American Pharoah’s 133 rating would also be the highest year-end ranking since Frankel’s 140 rating topped the final standings in 2012.
The Breeders’ Cup was well represented on the November rankings with 10 of the top 50 ranked horses competing in the event, with three winning Breeders’ Cup races and two others hitting the board in their races. However, the highest placed North American-based horse behind American Pharoah is 2013 Eclipse champion 2-year-old male Shared Belief with a 125 rating in fourth place. Keen Ice, the only horse to defeat American Pharoah this year, is currently tied in seventh with Honor Code. Kentucky Derby runner-up and third-place finishers Firing Line and Dortmund have ratings of 122 and 120, respectively, with Beholder, California Chrome and Liam’s Map all tied at ratings of 121.
Those ranked in 37th with Dortmund at a rating of 120 are last year’s dual Eclipse-champion Main Sequence, TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Sprint runner-up Private Zone, Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Tepin, Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Tonalist and Royal Ascot Group 1 winner Undrafted.
To see all the rankings from this month, you can click here.