Now sitting atop the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings on 121, National Treasure (Quality Road) and Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) both began their 2024 campaigns in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. in January, which saw the former defeat Senor Buscador by a neck.

Following that effort, they both travelled to the Middle East to compete in the G1 Saudi Cup. Senor Buscador raced in the back of the field before rallying to defeat Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) by a head, who was weighted on 120 for this week's list. Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming), who was three-quarters of a length back in third, came next on 119, while National Treasure finished fourth.

Ushba Tesoro shares the joint-second position in the rankings, along with G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup winner Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who won the Listed HH The Amir Trophy in Qatar Feb. 17.

Joining them with 120 points is Private Eye (Aus) (Al Maher {Aus}). He finished second by a head in the G1 Black Caviar Lightning S. to Imperatriz (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}), who made the list with 119.

Click here for the full list of ranked horses.

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The IHRB and BHA are now formally conducting joint out-of-competition-testing operations across both jurisdictions. These inspections started this week with almost 250 samples taken from more than 120 horses that are entered for the upcoming Cheltenham Festival in an operation across 14 training premises in Ireland over the last two days.

In Ireland, the organisations will work together and operate under IHRB Standard Operating Procedures, and all samples will be considered as IHRB samples. BHA protocols will be in effect when the BHA and IHRB are working together in the UK, and they will be under BHA jurisdiction. In both instances, there will be transparent exchange of any adverse results or screening findings that arise from these tests, with all samples being tested by LGC Laboratory, one of six laboratories worldwide which is recognised as a referenced laboratory by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA).

Dr Lynn Hillyer, chief veterinary officer for the IHRB, said, “The IHRB Strategy 2024-2027 commits us to close engagement with international horseracing bodies and benchmarking ourselves against best international practice. This new venture shows stakeholders and the racing public that we collaborate as professionals across both sides of the Irish Sea, sharing best practice and resources and demonstrating equally stringent regulatory processes and standards to the extent that our anti-doping and medication control programmes are interoperable.”

James Given, director of Equine Regulation, Safety and Welfare, said, “Not only will our Medication Control and Anti-Doping (MCAD) team have access to more information about visiting horses, but there will be opportunities for our wider team to share ideas and best practice in other areas of our work.”

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Equinox's top rating of 135 – the highest ever awarded to a Japanese horse – was achieved in his four-length romp in the Japan Cup, his final appearance on a racecourse in which he had Liberty Island and her fellow Classic winners Stars On Earth (Jpn) and Do Deuce (Jpn) behind him. Such a strong first four meant that the 2023 running of the Japan Cup was awarded a rating of 126.75.

Trainers, jockeys, owners and breeders from across the racing world attended the ceremony at the Savoy to celebrate the 11th time that Longines and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) had joined forces to celebrate the best in the sport. 

The Tetsuya Kimura-trained Equinox was the second Japanese horse to receive the accolade after Just A Way (Jpn) in 2014. Ridden throughout his career by Christophe Lemaire, he was unbeaten in 2023, with his other victories coming in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, G1 Takarazuka Kinen (G1), and G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn).

“To be honest it was quite enjoyable,” said Lemaire with no little understatement of his association with Equinox as he accepted his award on Tuesday.

“Each time he ran there was a big expectation but on that horse I had such confidence. I tried to do my job as well as possible and I will miss him a lot. Like most top athletes he had a combination of physical strength and mental strength. His physical strength allowed him to run fast and use his beautiful stride. Also he was very clever, is he understood very quickly what he had to do to win. My job was just to get a good start and put him in a good position to let him express his talent.”

He added, “He was nearly the perfect racehorse and we have to congratulate the breeder for producing such a beautiful horse and the trainer for allowing him to mature and getting the best out of him. 

“Equinox was something special. He had an aura. Most of the people first discovered him in Dubai but in Japan he was already a rising star.”

Masashi Yonemoto, the CEO of Equinox's 300-strong ownership group Silk Racing, was in London to collect his award along with Kimura and Lemaire. A strong Japanese contingent was bolstered by the presence of Masayoshi Yoshida, the president of the Japan Racing Association (JRA), and Masayuki Goto, the JRA's executive adviser of international affairs, who received the trophy for the world's best race, which was a first for the Japan Cup in its 43-year history.

Equinox was rated 7lbs clear of last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner, the unbeaten Ace Impact (Fr) (Cracksman {GB}), who was joint-second in the ratings with the G1 Prince of Wales's S. and Juddmonte International winner Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) on 128. They were thus Europe's top-rated runners for 2023, a pound clear of G1 Queen Elizabeth S. winner Big Rock (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. winner Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) who were joint fourth on 127.

Hukum's runner-up at Ascot, Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}), and Hong Kong's champion Golden Sixty (Aus) were next on 126, while the dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin (Ire) was awarded a mark of 125 for his victory in the G1 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, the same as Lucky Sweynesse (NZ), who was judged to have run to that mark on three occasions at Sha Tin and was the top-rated sprinter in the world.

There was a five-way tie for tenth place with a rating of 124 having been awarded to White Abarrio (Race Day), Cody's Wish (Curlin), Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) and Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}).

In total, 36 horses achieved a rating in excess of 120. Of these, nine were trained in Britain, seven in Japan, seven in the USA, four in Hong Kong, and three each in France, Ireland and Australia. Frankel was the sire of four of the top 15 horses in Europe – Mostahdaf, Westover, Onesto (Ire) and Triple Time (Ire) – and grandsire of the co-top-rated Ace Impact, who was also the highest-rated three-year-old in the world. 

It was a particularly good year for European three-year-old colts, with Ace Impact being joined by Big Rock, Auguste Rodin, Paddington and King Of Steel among the top 20 horses globally. 

Three of the four top-rated fillies or mares in the world were also trained in Europe and all hail from the Newmarket stable of John and Thady Gosden. Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) was awarded a mark of 121 for her G1 Dahlbury Coronation Cup win, while Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was on 120 for her success in the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois, the same mark given to Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) for her G1 Falmouth S. win. The aforementioned Liberty Island tied with Emily Upjohn on a mark of 121.

Also on 121 was the top-rated stayer, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's Melbourne Cup winner Without A Fight (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who started his career with Simon and Ed Crisford in Britain before switching to the Australian stable of Anthony and Sam Freedman. With Lucky Sweynesse leading the way for the older sprinters, the top three-year-old sprinter in the world for 2023 was the G1 Commonwealth Cup and G1 July Cup winner Shaquille (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) on 120.

Four of the top ten races in the world in 2023 were staged in Japan, with the Takarazuka Kinen in fifth spot, the Tenno Sho (Autumn) joint-sixth and the Arima Kinen in eighth. The Equinox factor had a firm say in the rankings of the races, with the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic ranked second with an average rating of 126.50. The Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, a regular winner of this title, was third on 124.75, just ahead of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. on 124.50. The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion S was co-sixth, while the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques Le Marois was ninth and the Juddmonte International tenth. 

The official rankings are compiled by the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings Committee, which is co-chaired by Nigel Gray and Dominic Gardiner-Hill, and they are published by the IFHA.

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The global leaders for Thoroughbred racing and breeding will work together on matters of mutual interest which impact the breeding industry. Through a dedicated working party of senior officials that represents members' interests from around the world, the two federations will meet regularly to discuss ideas, share information, provide expert advice, and develop policy on breeding matters.

“This will prove to be a positive development for the future of Thoroughbred breeding and racing globally,” said IFHA chair Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. “Breeding and racing are intertwined in every aspect of the equine value chain, and with the importance of welfare at every stage of a Thoroughbred's life, it is important that we work together in harmony. I look forward to everything that we can achieve together in the years ahead.”

ITBF chair Kirsten Rausing said, “ITBF warmly welcomes this collaborative foundation stone between our two organisations, upon which we can build further. A fully functioning working relationship between our inextricably connected industries is the basis for ensuring a secure and successful future for the Thoroughbred breed and the sport of horse racing.”

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The Conference was chaired by Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges and focused on safeguarding equine welfare and exploring shifts in societal expectations, as well as the racing industry's response around the world. It examined both immediate concerns and forward-looking initiatives to protect and promote equine welfare.

The ICHSWJ was held on Sept. 28 at Auteuil Racecourse in Paris and featured presentations and panels on overall jockey well-being, including concussions, spinal injuries, and mental health and psychological fitness.

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“The well-being of the equine athlete must always be at the forefront of the decisions we make,” IFHA Chair Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said. “I look forward to sharing with the membership and key stakeholders the ways in which industry standards and practices are continuously enhanced, particularly through scientific advances in improving existing safeguards. The importance of our sport embracing an even more active role in public discourse on the issue and ensuring that our sport remains as a fully engaged and integral part of our communities cannot be understated.”

Nick Luck will serve as the moderator for the conference, which includes discussions on horse racing in an evolving society, approaches and strategies to shape the narratives surrounding equine welfare and protecting the sport's equine athletes, and effective public engagement and response, particularly in relation to the issue of equine welfare.

A live video stream of conference will be available on the IFHA's website. A replay of the live video stream and presentations will be available in the days following the event.

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All yearlings sold will have the chance to win ThoroughBid's £5,000 Every 1's a Winner Bonus for their new connections. In order to qualify for the bonus, the sale graduate must win on debut under rules either as a 2- or 3-year-old in a Flat race held in any IFHA member territory. Entries for the ThoroughBid Online Yearling Sale close on Sunday, Oct. 8.

CEO of ThoroughBid, James Richardson, said, “With yearling sales being such an important market within the industry, we're delighted to announce the establishment of the ThoroughBid Online Yearling Sale, which will provide another option for consignors to sell their stock without the hassle and expense of going to an in-person sale.

“For buyers, the Every 1's A Winner Bonus is a big carrot to dangle. It's a unique global bonus which encourages participation across all 59 IFHA members. This sale truly means that you sell from anywhere in the world, bid from any corner of the globe and win a £5,000 bonus at tracks in 59 different countries.

“We hope that the Online Yearling Sale will be seen as a useful addition to the calendar by buyers and sellers alike. It will be very exciting to follow the progress of our graduates on the track over the coming seasons.”

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Although I've read explanations and have had people try to explain it to me I still don't understand why we test to such a small level.  As I understand it a picogram is one-trillionth of a gram.  How can that have any affect on a 1200-lb horse?  Why do we test to such a small level?  Are we using the ARCI recommended guidelines?

It is important to remember that a picogram is a measure of weight, not potency. While some legal drugs are more potent and are administered in low doses, others are less potent and require larger doses to achieve their intended effects. This is why the Screening Limits used by HISA are different depending on the substance.

It is also important to note that substance concentrations are reported “per milliliter.” Thus, the picogram amounts you read in a lab report must be multiplied by approximately 50,000 to reflect the total milliliters of blood that can be found in a horse.

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act requires HISA to adopt the standards used by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), which are followed in nations around the world and independent of the ARCI's guidance, as a starting point. The IFHA's Screening Limits and Thresholds are vetted by the European Horseracing Scientific Liaison Committee, which is composed of veterinary pharmacologists, regulatory veterinarians, chemists, and other racing regulators, before being approved by the IFHA. There are certain substances, e.g., phenylbutazone, for which the ADMC Standing Committee decided to deviate from the IFHA's published recommendations based on additional science and industry-specific insight.

Everyone agrees the ultimate goal is to keep honest people honest and dishonest people afraid to break the rules.  And that the objective is not to penalize trainers and owners that make honest inconsequential mistakes but rather catch the cheaters. Are we doing enough to catch the cheaters and those taking advantage of the system?  The objective isn't to penalize honest trainers and subsequently their owners for honest mistakes that result in an insignificant overage and that don't affect a horse's performance, is it?

The Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program is designed to detect and deter those who intentionally try to break the rules, thus compromising the integrity of the sport and the welfare of equine and human athletes. The Program includes a test distribution plan that will focus on utilizing testing resources in a manner that will both detect and deter violations, including thorough intelligence-based target testing.

In addition, sanctions associated with Anti-Doping Rule Violations, which include the use or administration of substances that are prohibited from being present in a horse at any time (Banned Substances), are intended to be harsh.

However, there are significantly less severe penalties for offenses related to legal Controlled Medication Substances. For example, the penalty for a first offense related to a Class C medication such as phenylbutazone or methocarbamol is the disqualification of race-day results and a fine of up to $500. There is no suspension.

For many types of cases, direct penalties for the Covered Person(s) involved can be reduced or eliminated depending on the degree of fault determined by the adjudicator(s) hearing the case.

Promoting integrity of the competition and welfare of the horse are two key pillars of the ADMC Program. In support of these two principles, the regulations require that disqualifications are upheld for positive tests regardless of fault in acknowledgment of the fact that the integrity of the race and/or the welfare of the horse may have been compromised by the presence of a Prohibited Substance in the horse's system.

On a national scale, HIWU's team includes an investigations unit that will utilize data science, intelligence from local investigators and racing officials, e.g., stewards and regulatory veterinarians, and information received from HIWU's anonymous whistle blower platforms. This group's objectives are to identify and catch those who commit violations of the Program, especially the most egregious offenses. HIWU Director of Intelligence & Strategy Shaun Richards brings 23 years of experience with the FBI and initiated and directed the criminal investigation that ultimately resulted in the indictments of more than 30 individuals, including trainers Jorge Navarro and Jason Servis.

What are we doing about positives that are possibly the result of contamination or human error? I was involved in a case that it seemed that the positive was a result of contamination at some point.  A Hall of Fame trainer with a pristine record had a horse test positive for a sedative drug he said he doesn't use and the horse was never given.  The horse ran his eyeballs out that day. My owner lost the $40,000 purse. We think the sample was contaminated or perhaps nefarious behavior took place, or someone along the chain of testing made a mistake.  I guess a positive is a positive and if you break the rules you are going to be penalized.  Even so, that's not what we should be trying to do in regulating horse racing, is it?  Do we have anything in place to address these types of situations?

The ADMC Program includes an Atypical Findings Policy that is intended to address cases of environmental contamination.  Under this Policy, if a laboratory detects the presence of the following types of substances, it will report the result as “Atypical,” NOT “positive”:

Specified Substances that pose a higher risk of being present due to environmental contamination, e.g., caffeine, cannabinoids, ractopamine, scopolamine, zilpaterol;

Endogenous substances, e.g., testosterone; or

Substances that pose a high risk of contamination but have yet to be identified.

When an Atypical Finding is issued, an investigation will be launched by HIWU, and the horse's trainer and/or owner will have the opportunity to provide information that can explain the presence of the substance. Examples of evidence could include proof that the horse consumed feed or bedding that was shown to have been contaminated with the substance in question. The trainer could also provide veterinary evidence indicative of the levels of the substance present in the horse naturally.

If HIWU determines that the Atypical Finding was due to environmental contamination and/or that the substance was not exogenously administered based on information gathered, the laboratory result will be considered negative, and no further action will be taken in connection with the result. Consequently, there will be no loss of purse money or imposition of any other sanctions.

The Atypical Findings Policy is intended to protect trainers from being punished for substance exposures beyond their control.

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“Carl's leadership of TJCIS has been exceptional,” said James L. Gagliano, president and COO of The Jockey Club. “The advancements to our information services and evolution of technology systems to meet the demands of a global marketplace are a tribute to Carl's deep understanding of the industry. Carl will continue to be available as a consultant to the many important initiatives of TJCIS in 2023.”

Hamilton joined TJCIS in 1990 as the vice-president of the consulting division. He previously owned Hamilton Software, a software consulting firm that developed industry-leading farm management software packages and provided consulting services to Thoroughbred-related organizations. When TJCIS acquired a controlling interest in BloodHorse in 2015, Hamilton was appointed chairman.

Tim Leith was promoted to the role of senior vice president of TJCIS this month. Leith will execute short- and long-term plans for the company and continue to oversee product development efforts of the company's growth initiatives.

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The Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings are established by international handicappers according to the performance of the horses in top races. The highest-rated race is determined by averaging the rankings of the first four placed horses. The full list and further information on the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings are both available on the IFHA website.

“Over the past year racing fans have been thrilled by some remarkable athletic performances across the globe,” said Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chair of the IFHA. “Together with our partner Longines, the International Federation is excited to honour those horses which have excelled on the world stage through our World's Best Racehorse Awards and to also celebrate the World's Best Horse Race.”

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