U.S. Well-Represented in Mid-Year IFHA Rankings

Game on Dude wins the 2014 Santa Anita Handicap. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
On Thursday, July 9, the mid-year International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IHFA) LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings were released and much like the " target="_blank">March 13 edition of the rankings  Americans were well-represented in the top 30 spots in the list.
Three international horses earned the top spots with Japan’s Just A Way earning a 130 rating for his victory in the Dubai Duty Free on Dubai World Cup day. However the United States is still represented in the Top Five with Game On Dude, who led the March 13 list with a 125 ranking after his Santa Anita Handicap win, sitting in fourth and dual-classic winner California Chrome in fifth with a 124 rating.
Six other American-based horses are also represented in the rankings with Palace Malice and Will Take Charge leading those six with a 123 rating. Two-time U.S. Horse of the Year Wise Dan sits in the top 20 with a 122 rating and Donn Handicap winner Lea is right behind him with a 121 rating, a number that ties him with multiple Grade 1 winning turf miler Obviously. Preakness second-place finisher Ride On Curlin rounds out the Americans with a 120 rating, ranking him in a six-way tie for 28th place.
The only country with as many horses ranked on the list as the United States is Great Britain, also with eight.
While last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf 1-2 finishers aren’t based in America, it should also be noted that they are ranked in the Top 10.
Breeders’ Cup Turf runner-up The Fugue, who also finished third in the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, is tied with California Chrome with a 124 rating after effortlessly winning the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in course record time. The Fugue also has the distinction of being the only filly or mare on the list. Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Magician is ranked right under The Fugue with a 123. Magician was second-best in the Prince of Wales’s, finishing 1 ¾ lengths behind The Fugue in his fourth start of the year.
For a full list of the IFHA World Thoroughbred Rankings, click here.

The LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings is horseracing's equivalent to World Rankings by other major sporting organizations such as ATP Tennis Rankings, World Golf Rankings, FIFA World Rankings for soccer and IRB Rugby World Rankings. The LONGINES Rankings are based on the ratings earned by horses running worldwide from North and South America, Europe, Middle East, South Africa, Asia through to Australia and New Zealand. The ratings are compiled under the auspices of The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) by racing officials & handicappers representing the five continents who compile the ranking order by agreeing on the rating for each horse. The ratings are based on the performance of horses in elite races held during the designated period which takes in account the quality of opposition and achievements of each horse. Throughout the year the Longines Rankings are published at regular intervals and the consolidated annual rankings are released in January. The annual rankings denote the champions in the various distance categories for example sprint or mile, surface either turf or dirt/artificial and also the fillies & mares category.