Now the 2023 Longines World’s Best Racehorse with a rating of 135, Equinox is the highest rated Japanese horse ever with El Condor Pasa in 1999 receiving a 134 ranking.
Earning this rating in his final career start, the Japan Cup in Association with Longines he scored by four lengths over Liberty Island with a rating of 121, and Stars On Earth third on 119.
This event earned the Japan Cup in Association with Longines of 2400m the top of the Longines World’s Top 100 Group/Grade Races 1 with a 126.75 rating, heading the Long Turf category.
However, it was his authority season debut in the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic in March, that he vaulted to top of the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings on 129, and held all year.
In fact, such was his 3½ length defeat of Westover, 126, that this Longines Dubai Sheema Classic of 2410m was rated the second highest race in the Longines Top 100 Group/Grade 1’s on 126.5.
On returning to Japan Equinox scored a breath-taking last to first neck victory in the Takarazuka Kinen of 2300m, which had this race rated fifth with 124.25 on the Longines Top 100 Group/Grade1.
Next was a 2½ length victory in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) 2000m over Justin Palace, 121, in a new track record of 1:55.2, which had Equinox rated the World’s Top Immediate Turf Horse with 128.
Now retired to Shadai Stallion Station with the distinction of six Group 1 wins in a row and a 10=8-2-0 record he was always ridden Christophe Lemaire for Tetsuya Kimura and owner Silk Racing.
Two were rated the second leading 2023 World’s Champion Horse with a ranting of 128, with the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hero Ace Impact also being the Highest Rated 3YO in The World.
In earning his rating for winning the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe by 1¾ lengths over Westover, he also added to his unbeaten season the classic Prix du Jockey Club and Prix Guillaume d’Ornano.
Also rated 128, Mostahdaf took out the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot by four lengths over Luxembourg, 123, also winning the Juddmonte International Stakes and Neom Turf Cup.
Big Rock and Hukum share fourth position on 127, with Big Rock being unchallenged in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes to win by six lengths, plus victories in the Prix la Force and Prix de Guiche.
Hukum earned his rating in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes by defeating Westover by a head, having begun the season in winning the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown Park.
Westover shares sixth position with Golden Sixty on 126, with Westover earning his in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stake, plus the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and many second placings.
Golden Sixty earned his rating for victory the Longines Hong Kong Mile, and with numerous victories in 2023 also took out the Stewards’ Cup, the Hong Kong Gold Cup and the Champions Mile.
On 125 Auguste Rodin and Lucky Sweynesse share eighth spot, with Auguste Rodin for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf, in addition to The Derby, Irish Derby and Irish Champion Stakes.
Lucky Sweynesse earned 125 for the Chairman’s Sprint Prize, Sha Tin Vase, second in Premier Bowl, plus wins in Longines Hong Kong Sprint, Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup, Centenary Sprint Cup.
Rounding out the Top 10 are five horses Cody’s Wish, Do Deuce, Titleholder, White Abarrio who are sharing 10th on 124, while 288 horses from 16 different countries are rated 115 and higher.
