Arrogate Named 2016 Longines World's Best Racehorse

With his impressive victory in the 2016 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita Park, Arrogate secured the title of 2016 Longines World's Best Racehorse, just edging California Chrome  .

In winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Arrogate earned a 134 rating, just edging California Chrome who notched a 133 for his second-place finish. The world’s top two ranked horses of 2016 are scheduled to meet again Jan. 28 in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park.

Juddmonte Farms’ Arrogate, who did not make his career debut until April, won five of six starts in 2016. He came into the Classic off his historic victory in the Travers Stakes (G1), where he broke a 37-year-old track record and won by 13 1/2 lengths in his stakes try. On Jan. 21, Arrogate received an Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old male.

Question and Answer with Juddmonte's Teddy Grimthorpe

This is the second straight year an American 3-year-old has been named the Longines World's Best Racehorse. In 2015, American Pharoah  , like Arrogate a Bob Baffert trainee, was also rated at 134 and topped the rankings. The only United States-based horse to be rated higher in the past two decades is Cigar, who finished 1996 at 135.

The Classic was California Chrome's only defeat on the year, as he won his seven other starts. His graded stakes victories included the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1), $1 Million TVG Pacific Classic Stakes (G1), Awesome Again Stakes (G1), San Diego Handicap (G2), and San Pasqual Stakes (G2).

Trained by Art Sherman, California Chrome delivered the most consistent season, earning 133 ratings in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Pacific Classic, and Awesome Again. That consistency helped the son of Lucky Pulpit   earn the 2016 Horse of the Year Eclipse in the U.S., an award he also earned in 2014.

Behind Scenes of Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings

As one may have guessed by the two top-ranked horses, the Breeders’ Cup Classic was rated the top group 1 or grade 1 race in the world in 2016 to earn the Longines World's Best Horse Race Award.

"It is a great honor and a thrill that the Breeders' Cup Classic has been selected the world's highest rated race of 2016," said Breeders' Cup president Craig Fravel. "Arrogate and California Chrome put on a tremendous display for all of racing that day at Santa Anita Park, and to showcase such an exciting event on an international stage means so much to us. Bob Baffert said it best: 'We are just so proud to have horses like these. It's all about the horses.'

"Our sincere thanks to the IFHA, and to Longines for their remarkable commitment to Thoroughbred racing."

Overall, 319 horses, trained in 17 different countries, were rated 115 or higher. The full list and further information on the LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings are available on the International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities website.