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 9th November 2025)

 

Following his victory in the Qipco Champion Stakes (G1), CALANDAGAN (IRE) [130] is now the highest rated horse in the world in the ninth edition of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for 2025.

 

 

 

 

Calandagan defeated OMBUDSMAN (IRE) [128] by 2 ¼ lengths in the Champion Stakes. ALMAQAM (GB) [122] was 1 ¾ lengths back in third, while DELACROIX (IRE) [126] was a nose behind in fourth. Calandagan, who improved his rating to 130 from 125, came into the race having won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) and Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1) in his previous two starts.

 

Another horse who improved his rating is SIERRA LEONE (USA) [126], who finished second by a half-length to FOREVER YOUNG (JPN) [127] in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). FIERCENESS (USA) [125] was a length behind in third, while JOURNALISM (USA) [121] was 2 ¼ lengths behind him in fourth. Sierra Leone and Journalism had both previously been rated at 120.

 

Several other horses also impressed during the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. NOTABLE SPEECH (GB) [122] improved his rating to 122 from 120 following his victory in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile presented by PDJF (G1). He had won the Rogers Woodbine Mile Stakes (G1) in his previous race. Additionally, ETHICAL DIAMOND (IRE) [121] won the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), and SHISOSPICY (USA) [120] took the Prevagen Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) to join the rankings.

 

Meanwhile, in Japan, MASQUERADE BALL (JPN) [121] finds himself ranked after winning the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1), and MIKKI FIGHT (JPN) [120] joins the rankings off his score in the JBC Classic.

 

 

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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 rankings is the year-end 2025 LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, which will be released in January 2026.

 

E-Mail: achesser@jockeyclub.com