While Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) and Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) remain entrenched at the top of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings on a rating of 129, the winners of four of the eight races contested on Dubai World Cup night Mar. 31 have found their way onto the list.
Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) capped a big evening for Godolphin with a front-running defeat of 124-rated West Coast (Flatter) in the G1 Dubai World Cup and was given a rating of 123, equal to G1 Dubai Turf scorer Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and one point superior to G1 Dubai Sheema Classic hero Hawkbill (Kitten's Joy) and Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy). The latter, headed towards the GI Kentucky Derby May 5, is the highest-rated sophomore on the list, two points clear of 'TDN Rising Star' Justify (Scat Daddy), who shot up the rankings with his defeat of Bolt d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GI Santa Anita Derby Apr. 7.
Also sneaking onto the list as the world's top-rated turf sprinter is Trapeze Artist (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), who led home a 1-2 finish for his enormously successful sire with a two-length defeat of The Everest winner Redzel (Aus) in the G1 T J Smith S. at Royal Randwick Apr. 7. Trapeze Artist was given a rating of 123. Sharing that rating was Happy Clapper (Aus) (Teofilo {Ire}), who validated his runner-up effort to Winx in the G1 George Ryder S. with a smooth tally in the G1 Doncaster H. at The Championships.
'TDN Rising Star' Army Mule (Friesan Fire) is the newest American horse to join the rankings, as he was awarded a 121 for his brilliant victory in the GI Carter H. at Aqueduct.
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