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In what must be the most unsurprising news of the season an international panel of handicappers declared 2009 to be “a year of exceptional racehorses.”
The outstanding colt of 2009 was Sea The Stars given a rating of 136.
His best performance, in the view of the Handicappers, was at Leopardstown in the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes in September, when he comfortably defeated the impressive Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Fame And Glory (128) and multiple Group 1 winner Mastercraftsman (124).
His rating of 136 is the highest rating accorded a racehorse since the World Thoroughbred Rankings were launched in 2004 (the highest previously was Manduro (131) in 2007) and is the highest rating awarded since the French colt Peintre Celebre was rated 137 (under the former International Classifications back in 1997).
2009 marked the return of two outstanding fillies from 2008 who achieved even higher rank this year, namely the French-trained Goldikova (130) and the North American mare Zenyatta (128) and also the emergence of another exceptional filly, the North American three year old Rachel Alexandra (127).
Goldikova is the best filly/mare miler since Miesque (132) (1987/1988) over twenty years ago and like that remarkable filly, she has managed to win back to back TVG Breeders’ Cup Miles. However, her best performance, in the view of the Handicappers, was her magnificent romp in the Prix du Haras de Fresney Le Buffard Jacques Le Marois at Deauville in August.
Zenyatta created history by becoming the first filly/mare ever to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic amid joyous scenes of jubilation at Santa Anita in November, and has now retired unbeaten after 14 wins. She is the highest rated filly/mare on a non turf surface since Inside Information (129) back in 1995. That was the year that North America joined the International Classification process, and since then no three year old filly on a non turf surface has come near to matching the achievements of Rachel Alexandra, who also created history in defeating the colts in the Preakness Stakes (but whose best performance, the handicappers consider, was in the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park in August.
The full top 11
WORLD THOROUGHBRED RANKINGS
TOP 11 HORSES IN 2009
RANK HORSE RATING TRAINED
1 SEA THE STARS (IRE) 136 IRE
2 GOLDIKOVA (IRE) 130 FR
3 RIP VAN WINKLE (IRE) 129 IRE
4 FAME AND GLORY (GB) 128 IRE
4 ZENYATTA (USA) 128 USA
6 RACHEL ALEXANDRA (USA) 127 USA
7 CAVALRYMAN (GB) 125 FR
7 CONDUIT (IRE) 125 GB
7 GIO PONTI (USA) 125 USA
7 GLADIATORUS (USA) 125 UAE
7 YOUMZAIN (IRE) 125 GBSo, are they saying Sea The Stars is inferior to Pientre Celebre?
Not totally sure as there is also a four page press release where they "complain" about differing assesment standards over the years and the difficulties of cross generational comparisons.
hence their specific reference to the "former" classifications.
Actually their comments about the difficulties in doing the ratings are interesting.
Too big to post on here, however I will add them to my site and put a link here later on.
The “how we do it” statement from the handicappers can be found here:-
How about St Nicholas Abbey Paul?
It is 3-y-o and upwards only
World Thoroughbred Rankings are 3yo and up but we also produce the ratings for 2yos in Europe – without trying to steal Paul’s thunder (and thanks for posting up here) details can be found here:
http://www.britishhorseracing.com/goracing/racing/worlds_best/
St Nicholas Abbey on 124.
Comparing them to the latest Timeform Global Rankings
http://www.timeform.com/display_article … nkings.asp
it appears as though the level of these ratings is roughly 4-5 lb lower than Timeform for the colts but only 2-3 lb lower for the fillies.Somebody that understands these things can now educate the rest of us by explaining why.
Thanks in advance.
Apparently a horse that won four G1s in 2009 is considered equal to a horse who hasn’t won a race in two years. Would any of Youmzain’s performances this year catch Gio Ponti in, say, the Man O’War?
Apparently a horse that won four G1s in 2009 is considered equal to a horse who hasn’t won a race in two years. Would any of Youmzain’s performances this year catch Gio Ponti in, say, the Man O’War?
Gio Ponti’s rating is an artificial surface rating, Youmzain’s is a turf rating – you are not comparing like with like.
Anyway Eurpoean form is stronger than US form.
Apparently a horse that won four G1s in 2009 is considered equal to a horse who hasn’t won a race in two years. Would any of Youmzain’s performances this year catch Gio Ponti in, say, the Man O’War?
Gio Ponti’s rating is an artificial surface rating, Youmzain’s is a turf rating – you are not comparing like with like.
Anyway Eurpoean form is stronger than US form.
What was Gio’s highest rating in his 4 turf wins?
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