News

World Rankings Updated

28th Jun 2010

ANZ Bloodstock News - Tuesday, 29 June 2010

Starspangledbanner’s runaway win in the Golden Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1) at Royal Ascot has propelled him to second top sprinter on the latest list of World Rankings as released by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities.

Starspangledbanner (Choisir) is now rated on 121, a pound below Sacred Kingdom (Encosta de Lago) who retains the title of best sprinter in the world, writes Darryl Sherer.

Starspangledbanner’s 121 makes him joint 14th in the world and his rating is the same as the Singapore International Cup (Gr 1) winner, Lizard’s Desire (SAf) (Lizard Island). The American-trained Kinsale King (USA) (Yankee Victor), one and three-quarters of a length behind Starspangledbanner when third at Ascot, is rated 119.

Australian-trained horses are headed by Stradbroke Handicap winner Black Piranha (Clang), joint highest-rated with Rangirangdoo (NZ) (Pentire), on 119. The latest rankings cover racing around the world from January 1 to June 20.

Workforce (GB) (King’s Best) [127] leapt to the top of the World Thoroughbred Rankings with his seven-length romp in the Epsom Derby (Gr 1). Making only his third racecourse appearance, Workforce took nearly a second off the course record time set in the Derby 15 years earlier by Lammtarra (USA).

Previous rankings leader Quality Road (USA) (Elusive Quality) [126] took his unbeaten run in 2010 to three with another Grade 1 victory in the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park. Shouldering top-weight, Quality Road made most of the running score by a length and a half, in the process reproducing the 126 rating he achieved in winning the Donn Handicap (G1) at Gulfstream Park in February by twelve and three-quarter lengths, and he continues to be the top horse on Dirt.

The leader on Artificial surfaces is also unchanged, with Zenyatta (USA) (Street Cry) [125] advancing her unbeaten record to 17 with a now characteristic late charge to capture the Vanity Handicap (Gr 1) at Hollywood Park by half a length. Conceding between 9lb and 17lb to her rivals, she gained her third successive victory in the Vanity, and recorded her highest rating of the season to date.

While Zenyatta was rated the top filly/mare on a non-Turf surface in 2009, the leading female on Turf last year, Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa) [123], followed up her success on her seasonal debut in the Prix d’Ispahan (Gr 1) with victory in the Queen Anne Stakes (Gr 1) at Royal Ascot. Bursting clear over a furlong from home, Goldikova held the late challenge of Paco Boy (Ire) (Desert Style) [125] by a neck, to record her 10th victory in her last 12 starts.

Also at Royal Ascot, Byword (GB) (Peintre Celebre) [124] confirmed the good impression he had made when chasing home Goldikova in the Ispahan with victory in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Gr 1) by half a length from Twice Over (GB) (Observatory) [123]. Harbinger (GB) [121] continued his climb up the ranks with a decisive three and a half length win in the Hardwicke Stakes (Gr 2), while Canford Cliffs (Ire) (Tagula) [122] put up the best performance by a three-year-old at the 2010 Royal Ascot meeting with his victory in the St James’s Palace Stakes (Gr 1), matching the rating he recorded when winning the Irish 2000 Guineas (Gr 1) at the Curragh in May.

Away from Ascot, Fame And Glory (GB) (Montjeu) [124] recorded his second successive Group 1 victory when taking the Coronation Cup (Gr 1) at Epsom, while Lope de Vega (Ire) [124] followed up his win in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains (Gr 1) emulated his sire Shamardal (USA) with an even better performance in the Prix du Jockey-Club (Gr 1), in which he stormed home by three lengths to earn the second highest rating by a three-year-old so far this year.

In Italy, Jakkalberry (Ire) (Storming Home) [120] burst on the scene with a three-quarter length triumph in the Gran Premio di Milano (Gr 1), while Stacelita (Fr) (Monsun) [120] returned to form with a length and a half triumph in La Coupe (Gr 3) at Longchamp. Sarafina (Fr) (Refuse To Bend) [119] established herself as the top European filly of the classic generation to date when landing the Prix de Diane (Gr 1) impressively.