Month: April 2021

Mystic Guide, Mishriff Share Top Billing In Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings

After impressive displays during the Dubai World Cup card, Mishriff [122] and Mystic Guide [122] share the top spot in the second edition of the LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings for 2021.

LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings

Leading Horses

click here for complete rankings
Rank Horse Rating Trained
1 MISHRIFF (IRE) 122 GB
1 MYSTIC GUIDE (USA) 122 USA
3 EDUARDO (AUS) 121 AUS
3 NATURE STRIP (AUS) 121 AUS
5 CHARLATAN (USA) 120 USA
5 EXULTANT (IRE) 120 HK
5 GOLDEN SIXTY (AUS) 120 HK
5 LIFE IS GOOD (USA) 120 USA
5 LORD NORTH (IRE) 120 GB

Mishriff, who was already at the top of the rankings following his victory in the Saudi Cup, switched back to turf and won the LONGINES Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) in his next start. Mystic Guide, meanwhile, took the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) by 3 ¾ lengths to land at the top of the rankings. He came into the race having won the Razorback Handicap (G3) by six lengths to begin his 2021 campaign.

Lord North [120] is also in the top five after winning in Dubai. He earned his ranking by being victorious in the Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World (G1), which he took by three lengths in his first start of the year.

Joining Australia's Nature Strip [121] in the co-third spot is Eduardo [121], who is a perfect two-for-two this season. Eduardo defeated Nature Strip by a short head in the Hyland Race Colours Challenge Stakes (G2) and then went on to win the Bisley Workwear Galaxy (G1) by 3 ½ lengths.

Several other horses who have impressed in Australia this season find themselves ranked as well, including Mugatoo [119], who defeated Russian Camelot [118] by half a length in the All-Star Mile. Additionally, Sir Dragonet [118] won the Kia Tancred Stakes (G1) by 2 ¼ lengths to join the rankings.

Elsewhere, Malmoos [119] is ranked after winning the World Sports Betting SA Derby (G1) by 5 ¼ lengths to claim South Africa's Triple Crown. He also won the World Sports Betting S A Classic (G1) and World Sports Betting Gauteng Guineas (G2) to accomplish the feat.

In America, Colonel Liam [118] is two-for-two this year after winning the Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes (G2) following his score in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1), and champion filly Swiss Skydiver [118] made her seasonal debut a winning one when she took the Beholder Mile Stakes (G1) by 2 ¾ lengths.

In Japan, Lei Papale [118] is ranked after she took the Osaka Hai (G1) by 4 lengths, and in France, Skalleti [118] began his season with a victory in the Prix Exbury (G3) by 3 ½ lengths to join the rankings.

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Fair Hill Races to Skip 2021

Officials with Fair Hill Races, which annually holds jump racing events in Elkton, Md., announced Thursday the decision to skip the 2021 season and not schedule any races. Traditionally held in May, the Fair Hill Races are extremely popular with both the racing segment and the general public.

While uncertainty regarding COVID-19 and safety regulations came into play, the cancellation was also an opportunity to let the newly installed turf surface mature. Through a $20 million public-private partnership between the state of Maryland and the Fair Hill Foundation, upgrades to the historic one-mile track were completed last year. Among the upgrades were a new irrigation system, distance poles, finish pole and running rails, and widened turns. The course is part of the newly constructed equestrian Special Event Zone at Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area. The venue also features a new cross-country course, updated timber course, and new competition arenas built within the turf track's infield. The inaugural Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill, to be held in October, will be the first event to take place in the Special Event Zone this October.

“While it is disappointing that we will not be able to host the races this spring, we know that holding off and letting the new surface develop properly is the right decision,” said Fair Hill president and CEO Charles C. Fenwick, Jr. “We want to ensure the course will be stable and secure for many decades to come. When the course was first constructed in 1928, William du Pont, Jr. waited six years before allowing horses on the track for the same reason. With today's technology, we do not expect the maturing process to take nearly that long.”

The Turf Course at Fair Hill was modeled after the original design of England's Aintree Racecourse and hosted its first race in 1934.

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Arkansas Derby, Keeneland Grade 1’s Highlight TVG’s Weekend Coverage

The road to the Kentucky Derby will run through Arkansas this weekend and TVG will be broadcasting live from Oaklawn Park with full coverage of the $1 million Arkansas Derby as the undefeated Concert Tour puts his perfect record on the line. There will also be expanded coverage of Keeneland's Spring Meet which features a pair of Grade 1 events this weekend – the $300,000 Maker's Mark Mile (G1) on Friday and the $300,000 Coolmore (G1) Jenny Wiley on Saturday.

TVG's Britney Eurton, Matt Carothers and Caton Bredar will be live from Oaklawn Park with insights and analysis throughout the thirteen-race card. The Arkansas Derby (GI) offers 100-40-20-10 qualifying points to the top four finishers and has drawn a field of six including two contenders for trainer Bob Baffert who saddled Nadal to victory in this race last year. Rebel Stakes (G2) winner Concert Tour, undefeated from three starts, is a homebred for Gary and Mary West and will have Joel Rosario aboard. His rivals will include stablemate Hozier, the runner-up in the Rebel Stakes with Martin Garcia in the irons.

Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner and Eclipse Award winning sprinter Whitmore will get a rematch with C Z Rocket in the $500,000 Count Fleet Handicap (G3) after a narrow defeat in the $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes in March. Whitmore, trained by Ron Moquett, will be making his fifth appearance in the Count Fleet Handicap (G3) and has won it three times. Ricardo Santana, Jr. will be aboard.

Todd Schrupp, Simon Bray, Joaquin Jaime, Caleb Keller, Gabby Gaudet and Scott Hazelton will be broadcasting live from Keeneland with exclusive interviews, expert analysis and insights throughout the star-studded weekend of racing. The featured event of Friday's ten-race card is the $300,000 Maker's Mark Mile (G1) which has drawn a contentious field of nine turf specialists including Raging Bull (FR), the 7-2 morning line favorite for Chad Brown. Owned by Peter Brant, the Grade-1 winning millionaire has been freshened since a tenth-place finish in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) and will be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr.

There will also be Kentucky Derby points at stake on Saturday in the $200,000 Lexington Stakes (G3) with 20-8-4-2 qualifying points allocated to the top four finishers. The race has drawn a field of ten including Proxy who will be trying to break through and earn his first graded stakes victory for recent Dubai World Cup (G1) winning trainer Michael Stidham. The Godolphin-homebred was last seen finishing fourth in the Louisiana Derby (G1).

Fillies and mares will take center stage on Saturday at Keeneland in the $300,000 Coolmore Jenny Wiley (G1) which has attracted a field of six contenders. Micheline, a homebred daughter of Bernardini for Godolphin, will try to earn her first Grade 1 win and was last seen taking the Hillsborough Stakes (G2) at Tampa Bay Downs. Both she and Lexington Stakes (G3) Proxy are offspring of graded stakes-winning millionaire mare Panty Raid.

TVG's Mike Joyce, Christina Blacker and Dave Weaver will be reporting live from Santa Anita with full coverage of the nine-race card. The featured race is a one-mile allowance/optional claiming race with a competitive field of nine including graded stakes winner Grammer who will be returning to action for the first time since the 2020 Travers Stakes (G1) for trainer Bob Baffert.

Fans of international racing can also tune in for the action from Royal Randwick for Championship Day 1 featuring the $2 million Australian Derby (G1) and the $3 million Doncaster Mile (G1). Jason Witham will be anchoring the Australian coverage Friday night.

In addition to racing from Keeneland, Oaklawn and Santa Anita, TVG will feature racing from Gulfstream Park, Aqueduct and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

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