2016 World's Best Racehorse Rankings

The 2016 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, sponsored by Longines was the 2016 edition of the World's Best Racehorse Rankings. It was an assessment of Thoroughbred racehorses issued by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) on 24 January 2017. It included horses aged three or older which competed in flat races during 2016. It was open to all horses irrespective of where they raced or were trained.

Rankings for 2016

• For a detailed guide to this table, see below.

Rank	Rating	Horse	Age	Sex	Trained	Pos.	Race	Surface	Dist.	Cat.
1	134	Arrogate (USA)	3	C	USA	1st	Breeders' Cup Classic	Dirt	2,000	I
2	133	California Chrome (USA)	5	H	USA	1st	Awesome Again Stakes Pacific Classic	Dirt	1,800 2,000	M I
3	132	Winx (AUS)	5	M	AUS	1st	Doncaster Handicap Cox Plate	Turf	1,600 2050	M I
4	129	Almanzor (FR)	3	C	FR	1st	Irish Champion Stakes	Turf	2,000	I
5	127	A Shin Hikari (JPN)	5	H	JPN	1st	Prix d'Ispahan	Turf	1,800	M
5	127	Maurice (JPN)	5	H	JPN	1st	Hong Kong Cup	Turf	2,000	I
7	126	Frosted (USA)	4	C	USA	1st	Metropolitan Mile	Dirt	1,600	M
8	124	Found (IRE)	4	F	IRE	2nd 1st	Irish Champion Stakes Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	Turf	2,000 2,400	I L
8	124	Hartnell (GB)	5	G	AUS	1st	Turnbull Stakes	Turf	2,000	I
8	124	Postponed (IRE)	5	H	GB	1st	Dubai Sheema Classic International Stakes	Turf	2,410 2,100	L I
8	124	Werther (NZ)	5	G	HK	1st	Queen Elizabeth II Cup	Turf	2,000	I
12	123	Fascinating Rock (IRE)	5	H	IRE	1st	Tattersalls Gold Cup	Turf	2,000	I
12	123	Flintshire (GB)	6	H	USA	1st	Sword Dancer Handicap	Turf	2,400	L
12	123	Highland Reel (IRE)	4	C	IRE	1st	Breeders' Cup Turf	Turf	2,400	L
12	123	Kitasan Black (JPN)	4	C	JPN	1st	Japan Cup	Turf	2,400	L
12	123	Nyquist (USA)	3	C	USA	1st	Kentucky Derby	Dirt	2,000	I
12	123	Satono Crown (JPN)	4	C	JPN	1st	Hong Kong Vase	Turf	2,400	L
18	122	Beholder (USA)	6	M	USA	1st	Breeders' Cup Distaff	Dirt	1,800	M
18	122	Chautauqua (AUS)	6	G	AUS	3rd	Newmarket Handicap	Turf	1,200	S
18	122	Dortmund (USA)	4	C	USA	2nd	San Diego Handicap	Dirt	1,600	M
18	122	Limato (IRE)	4	G	GB	1st	July Cup Prix de la Forêt	Turf	1,200 1,400	S M
18	122	Minding (IRE)	3	F	IRE	1st	Queen Elizabeth II Stakes	Turf	1,600	M
18	122	Ribchester (IRE)	3	C	GB	2nd	Queen Elizabeth II Stakes	Turf	1,600	M
18	122	Satono Diamond (JPN)	3	C	JPN	1st	Arima Kinen Kikuka Sho	Turf	2,500 3,000	L E
18	122	Songbird (USA)	3	F	USA	1st	Alabama Stakes Cotillion Stakes	Turf	2,000 1,700	I M
18	122	Tepin (USA)	5	M	USA	1st	Jenny Wiley Stakes	Turf	1,700	M
18	122	The Gurkha (IRE)	3	C	IRE	1st	Sussex Stakes	Turf	1,600	M
18	122	Tourist (USA)	5	H	USA	1st	Breeders' Cup Mile	Dirt	1,600	M
29	121	Duramente (JPN)	4	C	JPN	1st	Nakayama Kinen	Turf	1,800	M
29	121	Galileo Gold (GB)	3	C	GB	1st	St James's Palace Stakes	Turf	1,600	M
29	121	Harzand (IRE)	3	C	IRE	1st	Epsom Derby	Turf	2,400	L
29	121	Makahiki (JPN)	3	C	JPN	1st	Tokyo Yushun	Turf	2,400	L
29	121	Mecca's Angel (IRE)	5	M	GB	1st	Nunthorpe Stakes	Turf	1,000	S
34	120	Aerovelocity (NZ)	7	G	HK	1st	Hong Kong Sprint	Turf	1,200	S
34	120	Dee Majesty (JPN)	3	C	JPN	1st	Satsuki Sho	Turf	2,000	I
34	120	Exaggerator (USA)	3	C	USA	1st	Preakness Stakes	Dirt	1,900	I
34	120	Flying Artie (AUS)	3	C	AUS	1st	Coolmore Stud Stakes	Turf	1,200	S
34	120	Gold Actor (JPN)	5	H	JPN	3rd	Arima Kinen	Turf	2,500	L
34	120	Jack Hobbs (GB)	4	C	GB	3rd	Champion Stakes	Turf	2,000	I
34	120	Jet Setting (IRE)	3	F	IRE	1st	Irish 1,000 Guineas	Turf	1,600	M
34	120	Journey (GB)	4	F	GB	1st	British Champions Fillies' and Mares' Stakes	Turf	2,400	L
34	120	Lightning Spear (GB)	5	H	GB	3rd	Queen Elizabeth II Stakes	Turf	1,600	M
34	120	Mutakayyef (GB)	5	G	GB	3rd	International Stakes	Turf	2,100	I
34	120	My Dream Boat (IRE)	4	C	GB	1st	Prince of Wales's Stakes	Turf	2,000	I
34	120	Order of St George (IRE)	4	C	IRE	1st 3rd	Ascot Gold Cup Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	Turf	4,000 2,400	E L
34	120	Protectionist (IRE)	6	H	IRE	1st	Grosser Preis von Berlin	Turf	2,400	L
34	120	Real Steel (JPN)	4	C	JPN	1st 2nd	Dubai Turf Tenno Sho	Turf	1,800 2,000	M I
34	120	Tamarkuz (USA)	6	H	USA	1st	Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile	Dirt	1,600	M
34	120	Vadamos (FR)	5	H	FR	1st	Prix du Moulin	Turf	1,600	M
50	119	Beauty Only (IRE)	5	G	HK	1st	Hong Kong Mile	Turf	1,600	M
50	119	Belardo (IRE)	4	C	GB	1st	Lockinge Stakes	Turf	1,600	M
50	119	Contentment (AUS)	6	G	HK	1st	Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup	Turf	1,400	M
50	119	Dariyan (FR)	4	C	FR	1st	Prix Ganay	Turf	2,100	I
50	119	Designs On Rome (IRE)	6	G	HK	1st	Hong Kong Gold Cup Sha Tin Trophy	Turf	2,000 1,600	I M
50	119	Effinex (USA)	5	H	USA	1st	Oaklawn Handicap Suburban Handicap	Dirt	1,800 2,000	M I
50	119	Elbchaussee (PER)	7	H	PER	1st	Clasico APCC del Peru	Dirt	2,200	L
50	119	Extreme Choice (AUS)	3	C	AUS	1st	A J Moir Stakes	Turf	1,000	S
50	119	Forever Unbridled (USA)	4	F	USA	3rd	Breeders' Cup Distaff	Dirt	1,800	M
50	119	Hawkbill (USA)	3	C	GB	1st	Eclipse Stakes	Turf	2,000	I
50	119	Idaho (IRE)	3	C	IRE	2nd	Irish Derby	Turf	2,400	L
50	119	Jameka (AUS)	4	F	AUS	1st	Caulfield Cup	Turf	2,400	L
50	119	Legal Eagle (SAF)	5	G	SAF	1st	Horse Chestnut Stakes Premier's Champions Challenge	Turf	1,600 2,000	M I
50	119	Logotype (JPN)	6	H	JPN	1st	Yasuda Kinen	Turf	1,600	M
50	119	Lucky Bubbles (AUS)	5	G	HK	1st	Premier Bowl	Turf	1,200	S
50	119	Melatonin (USA)	5	G	USA	1st	Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes	Dirt	2,000	I
50	119	Peniaphobia (IRE)	5	G	HK	1st	Sha Tin Vase	Turf	1,200	S
50	119	Secret Weapon (GB)	6	G	HK	2nd	Hong Kong Cup	Turf	2,000	I
50	119	Seventh Heaven (IRE)	3	F	IRE	1st	Yorkshire Oaks	Turf	2,400	L
50	119	Smart Call (SAF)	5	M	SAF	1st	J & B Met	Turf	2,000	I
50	119	Stellar Wind (USA)	4	F	USA	1st	Clement L. Hirsch Stakes	Dirt	1,700	M
50	119	Time Test (GB)	4	C	GB	1st	Brigadier Gerard Stakes	Turf	2,000	I
50	119	US Army Ranger (IRE)	3	C	IRE	2nd	Epsom Derby	Turf	2,400	L
50	119	Zelzal (FR)	3	C	FR	1st	Prix Jean Prat	Turf	1,600	M
74	118	Alice Springs (IRE)	3	F	Ire	1st	Matron Stakes	Turf	1,600	M
74	118	A P Indian (USA)	6	G	USA	1st	Forego Stakes	Dirt	1,400	M

Guide

A complete guide to the main table above.

Rank

A horse's position in the list, with the most highly rated at number 1. Each horse is ranked once according to its highest rating. Any lesser ratings for the same horse are not ranked.

Rating

A rating represents a weight value in pounds, with higher values given to horses which showed greater ability. It is judged that these weights would equalise the abilities of the horses if carried in a theoretical handicap race. The minimum rating required for inclusion is 115.

Horse

Each horse's name is followed by a suffix (from the IFHA's International Code of Suffixes) which indicates the country foaled.

Age
The age of the horse at the time it achieved its rating. The racing ages of all horses foaled in a particular part of the world increase simultaneously, regardless of the actual date of foaling.
Dates of age increase by location foaled
Northern Hemisphere	1 January
South America	1 July
Australia, New Zealand and South Africa	1 August

Sex
C	Colt	Ungelded male horse up to four-years-old
F	Filly	Female horse up to four-years-old
H	Horse	Ungelded male horse over four-years-old
M	Mare	Female horse over four-years-old
G	Gelding	Gelded male horse of any age

Trained

The country where the horse was trained at the time of the rating, abbreviated using the International Code of Suffixes.

Position
The horse's finishing position in the race shown. The actual finishing order can sometimes be amended following an inquiry or a disqualification.
=	Dead-heat
↑	Promoted from original finishing position
↓	Relegated from original finishing position

Race

The race (or one of the races) for which the horse achieved its rating. A defeated horse can be rated above its higher-placed opponents if it carried more weight.

Surface

The surface of the track on which the race was run, eg. turf or dirt. Synthetic surfaces are described as "artificial".

Distance
The distance of the race in metres. In some countries (eg. Canada, Great Britain, Ireland and the United States), the length of a race is usually expressed in miles and furlongs. These units have been converted to metres to allow for universal comparison.
Common conversions
5 furlongs	= 1,006 m	1 mile and 1½ furlongs	= 1,911 m
6 furlongs	= 1,207 m	1 mile and 2 furlongs	= 2,012 m
6½ furlongs	= 1,308 m	1 mile and 2½ furlongs	= 2,112 m
7 furlongs	= 1,408 m	1 mile and 3 furlongs	= 2,213 m
7½ furlongs	= 1,509 m	1 mile and 4 furlongs	= 2,414 m
1 mile	= 1,609 m	1 mile and 6 furlongs	= 2,816 m
1 mile and ½ furlong	= 1,710 m	2 miles	= 3,219 m
1 mile and 1 furlong	= 1,811 m	2 miles and 4 furlongs	= 4,023 m

Category
		Metres	Furlongs
S	Sprint	1,000–1,300 1,000–1,599 (CAN / USA)	5–6.5 5–7.99 (CAN / USA)
M	Mile	1,301–1,899 1,600–1,899 (CAN / USA)	6.51–9.49 8–9.49 (CAN / USA)
I	Intermediate	1,900–2,100	9.5–10.5
L	Long	2,101–2,700	10.51–13.5
E	Extended	2,701+	13.51+

International Code of Suffixes
The following countries have been represented in the WTR as foaling or training locations since the first edition in 2004.
ARG	Argentina	ITY	Italy
AUS	Australia	JPN	Japan
BRZ	Brazil	KSA	Saudi Arabia
CAN	Canada	NZ	New Zealand
CHI	Chile	SAF	South Africa
CZE	Czech Republic	SIN	Singapore
FR	France	SPA	Spain
GB	Great Britain	TUR	Turkey
GER	Germany	UAE	United Arab Emirates
HK	Hong Kong	USA	United States
HUN	Hungary	VEN	Venezuela
IRE	Ireland	ZIM	Zimbabwe

Shading

The shaded areas represent lesser ratings recorded by horses which were more highly rated in a different category. The IFHA publishes this information when the lower rating is the overall top performance in a particular category.