On Tuesday, the elite of the racing world met in London, marking the tenth time that Longines and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) have honoured the top Thoroughbred racehorses of the previous year, during a ceremony which also crowned the Longines World’s Best Horse Race for the eighth time. During the event, it was announced Flightline had earned the title of 2022 Longines World’s Best Racehorse with a historic rating of 140.
This mark equals Frankel’s benchmark rating set in 2012 under the current system. Flightline earned his 140 in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic Stakes, which he won by 19¼ lengths from Dubai World Cup winner Country Grammer. His other victories over the course of 2022 included the Metropolitan Handicap and the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Flightline retired undefeated at the end of the year. The winning connections were presented with elegant Longines watches as well as a replica of the Longines World’s Best Racehorse vase, named Equus, by representatives of Longines and IFHA. The Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings are established by international handicappers according to the performance of the horses in top races.
During the ceremony, Baaeed was also celebrated as the second highest rated horse and the highest rated turf horse in the world for 2022. He received his rating of 135 in the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes, and it is the highest rating given on turf since Frankel received his 140. Baaeed’s other victories in 2022 include the Sussex Stakes, Queen Anne Stakes, and Lockinge Stakes.
He also retired at the end of the season. Additionally, the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic was honoured as the Longines World’s Best Horse Race with a rating of 126.75. The Longines World’s Best Horse Race award recognises the best rated race of the highest rated Group One international races as established by a panel of international handicappers. The ratings of the top four finishers in each race serve as a basis for the assessment.This is the second time the Classic has won the award, with additional recognition coming in 2016.
