Just a Way Ranked World's Best Racehorse

Dominant Dubai Duty Free (UAE-I) winner Just a Way leads the second edition of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings for 2014 with a 130 rating. 

 

The rankings are compiled by the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings Committee and published by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities.   

 

A son of Heart's Cry, Just a Way captured the Dubai Duty Free by 6 1/4 lengths on Dubai World Cup night March 29 at Meydan Racecourse. It is very unusual for a horse to post a 130+  performance so early in the year; the most recent horse to do so was Curlin   when he won the 2008 Dubai World Cup (UAE-I). Now the winner of three consecutive group I races, Just a Way is assessed as having improved by seven pounds in Dubai from his end of 2013 rating of 123.

 

Game On Dude (by Awesome Again  ), the winner of the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) in early March, is ranked second with a 125 rating, while 2013 United States champion 3-year-old male Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song), who was third in the monthly rankings last month, drops down to co-fourth at 123.

 

Joining Will Take Charge on a rating of 123 is the 2014 Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) winner African Story (Pivotal), who scored a comfortable victory at Meydan over front-running Mukhadram (Shamardal), rated 118

 

A newcomer to the list this month is the 3-year-old California Chrome, rated 122. The Lucky Pulpit   colt staked an early claim for favoritism for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) by scooting 5 1/4 lengths clear in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) April 5.

 

Remaining the world's top sprinter so far this year is Australia's Lankan Rupee (Redoute's Choice), rated 121. Now the victor in his last five starts, Lankan Rupee has improved with each of those races, winning the Sportingbet Oakleigh Plate (Aus-I) and the Lexus Newmarket Handicap (Aus-I) in his two most recent outings.

 

Joining Lankan Rupee at 121 for the first time is the Japanese-trained  4-year-old Kizuna (Deep Impact). Fourth in the 2013 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr. I) behind the French super filly Treve, he posted a convincing win in the Sankei Osaka Hai (Jpn-II) in his season debut April 6 at Hanshin. Also rated at 121 is U.S. runner Lea, winner of the Donn Handicap (gr. I).