THE LONGINES WORLD’S BEST RACEHORSE RANKINGS

The official listing of the world’s best racehorses

(For 3yos and upwards which raced between 1st January and 4th May 2025)

 

The third edition of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for 2025 features sprinting sensation KA YING RISING (NZ) [126], who continues to elevate his rating and is now the co-second highest rated horse in the world.


 

LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings

 

Leading Horses

 

click here for complete rankings

 

 

Rank

Horse

Rating

Trained

1

FOREVER YOUNG (JPN)

127

JPN

2

KA YING RISING (NZ)

126

HK

2

ROMANTIC WARRIOR (IRE)

126

HK

4

DANON DECILE (JPN)

125

JPN

5

WHITE ABARRIO (USA)

124

USA

 

 

Ka Ying Rising, who has now won 12 consecutive races, took the Chairman's Sprint Prize (G1) by 2 ¼ lengths in his most recent start. In doing so, he improved his rating to 126 from 124. Ka Ying Rising’s other victories in 2025 include the Centenary Sprint Cup (G1), Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (G1), and Sprint Cup (G2).

 

New to the Top 10 are RULING COURT (USA) [121] and SOVEREIGNTY (USA) [121]. Ruling Court claimed the Betfred 2000 Guineas Stakes (G1) by a half-length over FIELD OF GOLD (IRE) [120], while SHADOW OF LIGHT (GB) [119] was another half-length back in third. Sovereignty won the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) by 1 ½ lengths over JOURNALISM (USA) [119].

 

Another newcomer to the rankings is TASTIERA (JPN) [120], who won the FWD QEII Cup (G1) in his first start of the year. Meanwhile, a number of horses share a rating of 119, including MUSEUM MILE (JPN) [119], SOSIE (IRE) [119], THORPEDO ANNA (USA) [119], and VIA SISTINA (IRE) [119]. Museum Mile won the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) (G1); Sosie took the Prix Ganay (G1); Thorpedo Anna was victorious in the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1); and Via Sistina won the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1).

 

 

 

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The LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings are compiled by the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee and published by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA).


For further details on the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, please contact:


Nigel Gray, co-chairman, LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee

Chief Advisor on World Racehorse Rankings, The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Telephone +852 2966 8337

Email nigel.c.gray@hkjc.org.hk


Dominic Gardiner-Hill, co-chairman, LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee

Head of Handicapping, British Horseracing Authority

E-mail dgardinerhill@britishhorseracing.com

 

Tom Robbins, chairman, North American Ratings Committee

Executive Vice President, Racing & Industry Relations, Racing Secretary, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club

Telephone +1 858 792 4230

Email tomr@dmtc.com

 

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The full list and further information on the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings are available on the IFHA website http://www.ifhaonline.org.

 

The next edition of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings will be published on Thursday 12th June 2025.

 

E-Mail: achesser@jockeyclub.com