Sierra Leone cracks world racehorse rankings after Whitney win

Photo: Gary Johnson / Eclipse Sportswire

U.S.-based runners Sovereignty and White Abarrio remained among the top horses in the new world's best racehorse rankings, while Sierra Leone vaulted onto the list by virtue of his victory in the Whitney Stakes (G1) on Aug. 2 at Saratoga.

The sixth edition of the rankings, published on Thursday by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities and covering races through Aug. 10, showed a three-way tie for the lead with 127 points between European turf runners Field of Gold and Ombudsman and Japan-based runner Forever Young, who has raced exclusively on dirt.

Sovereignty, winner of the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Jim Dandy in his last three starts for trainer Bill Mott and owner Godolphin, was tied for seventh on the updated list with three other runners with 125 points, while the Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained White Abarrio was alone at 11th with 124 points.

Sierra Leone, who was unranked in the previous rankings released July 6, returned to the list following his one-length victory in the Whitney Stakes (G1). Last year’s champion 3-year-old male in the United States, who had finished second to Mindframe in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) on July 28, was shown in an 18-way tie for the 20th spot on the list, which included fellow U.S.-based runners Journalism, Mindframe and Raging Torrent. All were listed with 120 points. 

The only other U.S.-based runner listed in the rankings was Locked, who was tied for 12th with 123 points. 

Ranking Horse Sex YOF Rating Surface
1 Field of Gold (IRE) C 2022 127 T
1 Forever Young (JPN) C 2021 127 D
1 Ombudsman (IRE) C 2021 127 T
4 Delacroix (IRE) C 2022 126 T
4 Ka Ying Rising (NZ) G 2020 126 T
4 Romantic Warrior (IRE) G 2018 126 D
7 Calandagan (IRE) G 2021 125 T
7 Danon Decile (JPN) C 2021 125 T
7 Jan Brueghel (IRE) C 2021 125 T
7 Sovereignty (USA) C 2022 125 D
11 White Abarrio (USA) H 2019 124 D
12 Anmaat (IRE) G 2018 123 T
12 Locked (USA) C 2021 123 D
12 Los Angeles (IRE) C 2021 123 T
15 Rebel's Romance (IRE) G 2018 121 T
15 Ruling Court (USA) C 2022 121 T
15 Soul Rush (JPN) H 2018 121 T
15 Trawlerman (IRE) G 2018 121 T
15 Voyage Bubble (AUS) G 2018 121 T
20 Antino (NZ) G 2018 120 T
20 Camille Pissarro (IRE) C 2022 120 T
20 Croix du Nord (JPN) C 2022 120 T
20 Durezza (JPN) H 2020 120 T
20 Jantar Mantar (JPN) C 2021 120 T
20 Journalism (USA) C 2022 120 D
20 Kalpana (GB) F 2021 120 T
20 Lambourn (IRE) C 2022 120 T
20 Lazzat (FR) G 2021 120 T
20 Meisho Tabaru (JPN) C 2021 120 T
20 Mindframe (USA) C 2021 120 D
20 Raging Torrent (USA) C 2021 120 D
20 Sajir (IRE) C 2021 120 T
20 Sierra Leone (USA) C 2021 120 D
20 Sosie (IRE) C 2021 120 T
20 Tastiera (JPN) H 2020 120 T
20 Whirl (IRE) F 2022 120 T
20 White Birch (GB) H 2020 120 T

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