The northern Classic season is upon us and it’s the undefeated Notable Speech who joins the Top 3 in this May edition of the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings.
Quickly ranked 121 for his 1½ length victory in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, he’s equal also on 121 with the Pegasus World Cup winner National Treasure trained by the master Bob Baffert.
The $20m Saudi Cup winner Senor Buscador also hold his 121 rating, but it’s the 6¾ length winner of the Dubai World Cup Laurel River who maintains the lead on 128, with Rebel’s Romance 123.
However, for Notable Speech he was never seriously considered a classic contender by Godolphin, and unraced at two he won his three previous 3yo starts on the all-weather track at Kempton.
Only ridden by William Buick in his race win, but never in training, Notable Speech was housed in the Old Stable usually for those ‘with a quirk,’ and it was victory for his first race-start on turf.
In defeating the Richard Hannon pair Rosallion and Haatem, he is trained by Charlie Appleby, and being homebred is by Dubawi from the Gr2 placed winning Invincible Spirit mare Swift Rose.
Also, on the same day as Notable Speech won the Guineas, Mystik Dan earned a rating of 120 in scoring a nose x nose victory over Sierra Leone and Forever Young, both 119, in the Kentucky Derby.
Bred by his owners in Kentucky and being by the duel Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Goldencents, Mystic Dan was coming off a third in the Arkansas Derby having earlier won the Southwest Stakes.
In Australia, it’s the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival and The Championships that continues to fill the leader-board for the Longines WBR Rankings, with Private Eye as the World Champion Sprinter.
In maintaining his official 120 Turf Sprint rating even though scratched from the TJ Smith Stakes at The Championships, it was the race’s placings I Wish I Win and Imperatriz who are still on 119.
However, it’s the ‘effervescent’ Pride of Jenni who is now the Longines Worlds Best Intermediate Turf champion on 120, up from 118, with a 6½ length victory in the $5m Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
In also being the highest rated filly-mare in the world, earlier this year she won the All-Star Mile and was narrowly beaten in both the C F Orr Stakes and Australian Cup, for trainer Ciaron Maher.
Named in memory of his daughter Jenni by Tom Ottobre, Pride of Jenni was a $100,000 buy at the 2019 Classic Yearling Sale, by the successful Prode of Dubai from the family of Vouvray, Loire.
In addition, Master of The Seas on 120 also joins the rankings for winning the Mile Stakes at Keeneland, while Justin Milano is rated 119 for his victory in the Satsuki Sho, Japanese 2000 Guineas.
In breaking news, the International Federation for the Aftercare of Racehorses has launched a Membership and Supporter Initiative for those who embrace its mission, objectives and values.
“The aftercare of racehorses remains an important and ever-growing global initiative,” said IFAR Chair Di Arbuthnot, “as this is an important next step for both IFAR and the racing industry.
Becoming a member of IFAR allows responsible organisations to publicly demonstrate their commitment to the wellbeing of our equine athletes after their racing days are done.”
Membership, which costs US$2,000 per annum, entitles the member organisation’s nominee the opportunity to participate on IFAR’s committees and includes nomination and voting rights.
Members will be also permitted to use and promote the IFAR logo in association with their brand, and the organisations who are able to contribute additional funds are highly encouraged.
