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Palace Pier Leads LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings; Domestic Spending Ranked Third

Following his performance in the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes (G1), Palace Pier (GB) [125] leads the fourth 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	PALACE PIER (GB)	125	GB
2	NATURE STRIP (AUS)	123	AUS
3	DOMESTIC SPENDING (GB)	122	USA
3	MISHRIFF (IRE)	122	GB
3	MYSTIC GUIDE (USA)	122	USA
6	ADAYAR (IRE)	121	GB
6	ADDEYBB (IRE)	121	GB
6	EDUARDO (AUS)	121	AUS
6	ESSENTIAL QUALITY (USA)	121	USA
6	GRAN ALEGRIA (JPN)	121	JPN
6	PYLEDRIVER (GB)	121	GB

With his 1 ½-length victory in the Lockinge, Palace Pier improved his rating to 125 from 121 and is now two-for-two in 2021. He came into the race off of his winning seasonal debut in the bet365 Mile (G2), which he won by eight lengths. Palace Pier is expected to race next in the Queen Anne Stakes (G1) during Royal Ascot.

Additionally, Domestic Spending (GB) [122] joins Mishriff (IRE) [122] and Mystic Guide (USA) [122] in the third position after winning the Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes (G1) by 2 ¾ lengths. His first start of the year came in May when he dead-heated for first in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes (G1).

There is now a six-way tie for the sixth position following a number of impressive performances around the world. In England, Adayar (IRE) [121] won the Cazoo Derby (G1) by 4 ½ lengths, and Pyledriver (GB) [121] defeated Al Aasy (IRE) [120] by a neck in the Coral Coronation Cup (G1). In the United States, Essential Quality (USA) [121] took the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (G1) by 1 ¼ lengths, while in Japan Gran Alegria (JPN) [121] won the Victoria Mile (G1) by four lengths.

A number of horses are also equally rated at 120, making them co-12th in the latest rankings. In addition to Al Aasy, newcomers include Shahryar (JPN) [120], who defeated Efforia (JPN) [120] by a nose in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (G1); Snowfall (JPN) [120], who romped home in the Cazoo Oaks (G1) by a record 16 lengths; St Mark's Basilica (FR) [120], who won the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club (G1) by 1 ¾ lengths; and Zaaki (GB) [120], who joins the rankings following his victory in the Channel 7 Doomben Cup (G1), which he won by seven lengths.

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Gershwin Scores Over Sloppy Main Track In Penn Mile

Getting a perfect set-up behind dueling front-runners for the first six furlongs, Godolphin homebred Gershwin – a half-brother to Grade 1 Dubai World Cup winner Mystic Guide – scored a two-length victory under Joe Bravo in Friday evening's $300,000 Penn Mile Stakes, a one-mile race originally scheduled on turf at Penn National race course in Grantville, Pa., but was transferred to a sloppy main track because of heavy rain.

The Penn Mile is designated as a Grade 2 race on turf by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association's American Graded Stakes Committee, but was automatically downgraded to Grade 3 because of the surface switch. The AGS Committee will review this year's running and decide whether to reinstate it to Grade 2.

The King Cheek finished second after dueling with Sibelius through fractions of :24.66, :49.13, and 1:13.75. It was 6 1/4 lengths farther back to Chess's Dream in third, with 9-5 favorite Annex fourth and Sibelius retreating to the back of the field of five 3-year-olds at the wire. Original and Outadore were scratched.

Gershwin, a Distorted Humor colt out of G1 winner and producer Music Note, by A.P. Indy, is trained by Michael Stidham, who also trains Mystic Guide (by Ghostzapper) for Godolphin. He ran the mile on a sloppy track in 1:39.24 and paid $6.80 to win.

The quality in Gershwin's female family goes well beyond Music Note, whose second dam is the Harbor View Farm filly It's In the Air, co-champion 2-year-old filly in 1978 and winner of four G1 races the following year.

The victory was the second in five lifetime starts – all in 2021 – for Gershwin, who left the maiden ranks sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs ver a muddy track in his second start on Feb. 6 at Fair Grounds. He finished a well-beaten third next out on a good track at Oaklawn on March 25, then lost by a neck on a sloppy track at Churchill going a one-turn mile. The Penn Mile was the first stakes attempt.for Gershwin, who trained up to the race at Fair Hill training center in Maryland.

Gershwin broke well from the rail post but Bravo allowed The King Cheek and Sibelius to gain the advantage in the early going. He kept Gershwin well off the rail throughout and swung even wider into the stretch to make his winning move.

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Nature Strip Takes Over As World’s Highest Rated

Australian sprinter Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) has overtaken G1 Dubai Sheema Classic and Saudi Cup winner Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) and G1 Dubai World Cup victor Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) as the highest-rated horse on the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, having been assigned a mark of 123 for his victory in the G1 TJ Smith S. on Apr. 10. Mishriff and Mystic Guide now sit a joint second at 122.

Just trailing in their wake on 121 are Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), Eduardo (Aus) (Host {Chi}) and Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}). Eduardo was third behind Nature Strip in the TJ Smith, while Addeybb defended his title in the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. on the second day of The Championships a week later. Last year's European champion 3-year-old Palace Pier issued an ominous signal to his opponents with an eight-length first-up score in the G2 bet365 Mile on Apr. 23.

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Mystic Guide Targets Summer Campaign

Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper), who kick-started his career as a second-out 'TDN Rising Star' and most recently won the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup at the end of March, is preparing for a late summer and fall campaign. After having spent the last few weeks at trainer Michael Stidham's Keeneland barn, he will ship to Maryland's Fair Hill Training Center this week to resume serious training.

“Since he's been back, I've been shocked and amazed with how well he's handled that whole experience, from all the traveling to the stress of the race,” said Stidham. “Maybe he lightened up a little bit, visibly, but we got back to the track and back in his regular routine, he fell right back into his old self. He thrived over there in Dubai and the whole thing didn't really affect him. I almost worked him this week, but there's really nothing for him race-wise until July, so we'll ship him back to Fair Hill and then put him back into a work pattern.”

Stidham indicated the Godolphin homebred may target Belmont's July 3 GII Suburban H. as a return engagement, but several other spots are under consideration as well. The major end-of-season goal is the Nov. 6 GI Breeders' Cup Classic.

“We're working backwards from the Breeders' Cup at this point and while the races leading up are important, the most important is the Classic,” continued Stidham. “That's where they crown the champion and that's our goal.”

In addition to the Dubai World Cup, Mystic Guide won the GIII Razorback H. in his 2021 debut. His sophomore campaign last year included a win in the GII Peter Pan S. and placings in both the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup and the GIII Peter Pan S. The lightly raced colt has never been off the board, with four wins from eight starts. The Dubai World Cup marked Stidham's first start outside the U.S.

“Personally, the biggest thing for me was how many people were truly and honestly happy for [assistant trainer] Hilary [Pridham] and I,” he said. “When you have so many peers who've watched you all along your career who truly wanted you to win such a big race–that just really made me feel good about the whole thing. Obviously, as I said when I was over there, finally getting my chance on the world stage and winning was just amazing.”

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