The world’s top racehorses of 2019
The world’s top racehorses for 2019, headed by Crystal Ocean, Enable and Waldgeist
Three horses have jointly earned the title of Longines World’s Best Racehorse for 2019, a first since the award was created in 2013.
Equally rated at 128, Crystal Ocean (GB), Enable (GB) (pictured) and Waldgeist (GB) share the 2019 title.
Separetly, Pinatubo was the top juvenile of 2019, with his nine-length victory over Armory in the Group One National Stakes at The Curragh in September his standout performance. He received a rating from the BHA of 128. At the same point in his career, Frankel was rated 126.
Trading victories
The trio of top ranked three-year-old plus European runners competed against each other throughout the year, trading victories as they did so. Crystal Ocean won the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (G1), while Waldgeist was third; Enable beat Crystal Ocean by a neck in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (G1) with Waldgeist in third; and Waldgeist turned the tables on Enable when he defeated her in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1).
Ultimately, Crystal Ocean earned his rating in the King George, as he was carrying 3lbs more than Enable; Enable received her rating for her dominating victory in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks (G1); and Waldgeist achieved his rating following the Arc.
The world’s top racehorses of 2019
| Rank | Horse (Bred) | Rating | Trained |
| 1 | CRYSTAL OCEAN (GB) | 128 | GB |
| 1 | ENABLE (GB) | 128 | GB |
| 1 | WALDGEIST (GB) | 128 | FR |
| 4 | BEAUTY GENERATION (NZ) | 127 | HK |
| 5 | BATTAASH (IRE) | 126 | GB |
| 5 | GHAIYYATH (IRE) | 126 | GB |
| 5 | LYS GRACIEUX (JPN) | 126 | JPN |
| 5 | VINO ROSSO (USA) | 126 | USA |
| 9 | BENBATL (GB) | 125 | GB |
| 9 | GLORY VASE (JPN) | 125 | JPN |
| 9 | WINX (AUS) | 125 | AUS |
Fourth position is held by Hong Kong champion Beauty Generation (NZ) on 127. A powerhouse at the beginning of 2019, he reeled off five consecutive victories from January to October, including the Celebration Cup (G3). Beauty Generation carried 133lbs in that handicap, spotting his rivals up to 20lbs, to earn his rating.
Four horses from around the globe share fifth place after being equally rated at 126
Battassh (IRE) impressed in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes (G1); Ghaiyyath (IRE) took the Longines Grosser Preis von Baden (G1) by 14 lengths; Lys Gracieux (JPN) closed out the year in style in the Arima Kinen (G1); and Vino Rosso (USA) [126] was victorious in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) to sit in the co-fifth position.
The Top 10 for 2019 is rounded out by three horses in co-ninth place after each being rated at 125. Benbatl (GB) romped in the Shadwell Joel Stakes (G2); Glory Vase (JPN) lived up to his name in the Longines Hong Kong Vase (G1); and the mighty Winx (AUS), the 2018 co-Longines World’s Best Racehorse, earned her highest rating of 2019 in the TAB Chipping Norton Stakes (G1).
The top horses by distance categories
| Rating | Category | Horse (Bred) | YOF | Sex | Owner | Trainer | Trained |
| 126 | 5f – 6.5f | Battaash (IRE) | 2014 | G | Hamdan Al Maktoum | Charles Hills | GB |
| 124 | 5f – 6.5f | Blue Point (IRE) | 2014 | H | Godolphin | Charlie Appleby | GB |
| 124 | 5f – 6.5f | Santa Ana Lane (AUS) | 2012 | G | William St | Anthony Freedman | AUS |
| 123 | 5f – 6.5f | Mitole (USA) | 2015 | C | William & Corinne Heiligbrodt | Steven Asmussen | USA |
| 122 | 5f – 6.5f | Nature Strip (AUS) | 2014 | G | R A E. Lyons, P D Harrison et al | Chris Waller | AUS |
| 122 | 5f – 6.5f | Ten Sovereigns (IRE) | 2016 | C | D Smith, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor | Aidan O’Brien | IRE |
| 121 | 5f – 6.5f | Beat The Clock (AUS) | 2013 | G | Merrick Chung Wai Lik | John Size | HK |
| 120 | 5f – 6.5f | Aethero (AUS) | 2016 | G | Andrea Tien & Arthur Cheng | John Moore | HK |
| 120 | 5f – 6.5f | Hot King Prawn (AUS) (ex Join In) | 2014 | G | Lau Sak Hong | John Size | HK |
| 120 | 5f – 6.5f | Imperial Hint (USA) | 2013 | H | Raymond Mamone | Luis Carvajal Jr | USA |
| 120 | 5f – 6.5f | Omaha Beach (USA) | 2016 | C | Fox Hill Farms Inc | Richard Mandella | USA |
| 120 | 5f – 6.5f | Roy H (USA) | 2012 | G | Rockingham Ranch & David Bernsen | Peter Miller | USA |
| 120 | 5f – 6.5f | Shancelot (USA) | 2016 | C | Ivan Rodriguez, Albert & Michelle Crawford | Jorge Navarro | USA |
| 120 | 5f – 6.5f | Trapeze Artist (AUS) | 2014 | H | Vieira Racing, B. Vieira et al | Gerald Ryan | AUS |
| 120 | 5f – 6.5f | Yes Yes Yes (AUS) | 2016 | C | Yes Yes Yes, B. Sokolski et al | Chris Waller | AUS |
| Rating | Category | Horse (Bred) | YOF | Sex | Owner | Trainer | Trained |
| 127 | 6.51f – 9.49f | Beauty Generation (NZ) (ex Montaigne) | 2012 | G | Patrick Kwok Ho Chuen | John Moore | HK |
| 125 | 6.51f – 9.49f | Benbatl (GB) | 2014 | H | Godolphin | Saeed bin Suroor | GB |
| 125 | 6.51f – 9.49f | Winx (AUS) | 2011 | M | Magic Bloodstock Racing et al | Chris Waller | AUS |
| 124 | 6.51f – 9.49f | City of Light (USA) | 2014 | H | Mr & Mrs William Warren Jr | Michael McCarthy | USA |
| 123 | 6.51f – 9.49f | McKinzie (USA) | 2015 | C | Karl Watson, Michael Pegram, Paul Weitman | Bob Baffert | USA |
| 122 | 6.51f – 9.49f | Happy Clapper (AUS) | 2010 | G | M W Thomas | Patrick Webster | AUS |
| 122 | 6.51f – 9.49f | Maximum Security (USA) | 2016 | C | Gary & Mary West | Jason Servis | USA |
| 121 | 6.51f – 9.49f | Mustashry (GB) | 2013 | G | Hamdan Al Maktoum | Sir Michael Stoute | GB |
| 121 | 6.51f – 9.49f | Too Darn Hot (GB) | 2016 | C | Lord Lloyd-Webber | John Gosden | GB |
| Rating | Category | Horse (Bred) | YOF | Sex | Owner | Trainer | Trained |
| 127 | 9.5f – 10.5f | Crystal Ocean (GB) | 2014 | H | Sir Evelyn de Rothschild | Sir Michael Stoute | GB |
| 126 | 9.5f – 10.5f | Vino Rosso (USA) | 2015 | C | Repole Stable & St Elias Stable | Todd Pletcher | USA |
| 124 | 9.5f – 10.5f | Almond Eye (JPN) | 2015 | F | Silk Racing Co Ltd | Sakae Kunieda | JPN |
| 122 | 9.5f – 10.5f | Bricks And Mortar (USA) | 2014 | H | Klaravich Stables Inc & William Lawrence | Chad Brown | USA |
| 122 | 9.5f – 10.5f | Code of Honor (USA) | 2016 | C | William Farish | Claude McGaughey III | USA |
| 122 | 9.5f – 10.5f | Japan (GB) | 2016 | C | D. Smith, Mrs J. Magnier & M. Tabor | Aidan O’Brien | IRE |
| 122 | 9.5f – 10.5f | Magical (IRE) | 2015 | F | D. Smith, Mrs J. Magnier & M. Tabor | Aidan O’Brien | IRE |
| Rating | Category | Horse (Bred) | YOF | Sex | Owner | Trainer | Trained |
| 128 | 10.51f – 13.5f | Crystal Ocean (GB) | 2014 | H | Sir Evelyn de Rothschild | Sir Michael Stoute | GB |
| 128 | 10.51f – 13.5f | Enable (GB) | 2014 | M | Khalid Abdullah | John Gosden | GB |
| 128 | 10.51f – 13.5f | Waldgeist (GB) | 2014 | H | Gestut Ammerland & Newsells Park | Andre Fabre | FR |
| 126 | 10.51f – 13.5f | Ghaiyyath (IRE) | 2015 | C | Godolphin | Charlie Appleby | GB |
| 126 | 10.51f – 13.5f | Lys Gracieux (JPN) | 2014 | M | U Carrot Farm | Yoshito Yahagi | JPN |
| 125 | 10.51f – 13.5f | Glory Vase (JPN) | 2015 | C | Silk Racing Co Ltd | Tomohito Ozeki | JPN |
| 123 | 10.51f – 13.5f | Sottsass (FR) | 2016 | C | White Birch Farm | Jean Claude Rouget | FR |
| 122 | 10.51f – 13.5f | Japan (GB) | 2016 | C | D Smith, Mrs . Magnier, M. Tabor | Aidan O’Brien | IRE |
| 122 | 10.51f – 13.5f | Magical (IRE) | 2015 | F | D Smith, Mrs . Magnier, M. Tabor | Aidan O’Brien | IRE |
| 122 | 10.51f – 13.5f | Old Persian (GB) | 2015 | C | Godolphin | Charlie Appleby | UAE |
| Rating | Category | Horse (Bred) | YOF | Sex | Owner | Trainer | Trained |
| 122 | 13.51f+ | Stradivarius (IRE) | 2014 | H | Bjorn Nielsen | John Gosden | GB |
| 119 | 13.51f+ | Dee Ex Bee (GB) | 2015 | C | Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum | Mark Johnston | GB |
| 119 | 13.51f+ | Fierement (JPN) | 2015 | C | Sunday Racing Co Ltd | Takahisa Tezuka | JPN |
| 119 | 13.51f+ | Kew Gardens (IRE) | 2015 | C | D Smith, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor | Aidan O’Brien | IRE |
| 118 | 13.51f+ | Cross Counter (GB) | 2015 | G | Godolphin | Charlie Appleby | GB |
| 118 | 13.51f+ | Logician (GB) | 2016 | C | Khalid Abdullah | John Gosden | GB |
| 118 | 13.51f+ | Master of Reality (IRE) | 2015 | G | Lloyd Williams | Joseph O’Brien | IRE |
