IFHA Releases List of Top 100 Group I Races

Australia and the United States have the most races on the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities annual list of the top 100 group or grade I stakes. The list was released March 3.

The rankings are based on an average of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings of the first four finishers in the races for the past three years. The top 100 races also serve as the base of an annual competition to recognize top jockeys throughout the world; the winner is honored with the Longines World's Best Jockey Award.

Twelve countries and 39 tracks have races on this year's list, led by Australia with 26 and the U.S. with 23. The other countries are Great Britain (16 races), Japan (10), France (nine), Hong Kong (six), the United Arab Emirates (five), and Canada, Germany, Ireland, Singapore, and South Africa each with one.

The top-rated race for years 2012 through 2014 is the Juddmonte International Stakes with a rating of 124.17. Recent winners of the race held at York Racecourse in England include Frankel, Declaration of War , and Australia.

The other stakes in the top 10 are the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (a rating of 123.67), QIPCO Champion Stakes (123.50), Breeders' Cup Classic (123.42), Prince Of Wales's Stakes (123.33), Prix du Haras De Fresnay-le-Buffard-Jacques Le Marois (123.17), King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (123.00), the Japan Cup in association with Longines (122.92), Arima Kinen (122.67), and Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (122.58).

The top rated stakes by five distance categories are the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (119.58), Sprint division; Prix du Haras de Fresnay Le Buffard-Jacques Le Marois (123.17), Mile division; Juddmonte International Stakes (124.17), Intermediate division; Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (123.67), Long division; and Tenno Sho (Spring), with a ranking of 117.67 in the Extended division.

The top-rated race for fillies and mares is the Qatar Prix Vermeille (117.50).

The 2015 Longines World's Best Jockey Award is based on performances in the top 100 races from Dec. 1, 2014-Nov. 30, 2015. Jockeys accrue 12 points for a win, six points for second, and four points for third.


Read more on BloodHorse.com: www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles...-races#ixzz3TOBsvzv7

Link for top 100 Grade 1 Races below. The Gold Challenge which used to be run at Clairwood Park was the only South African race that made the Grade!


www.bloodhorse.com/pdf/WorldsTop100G1Races_2012to2014.pdf

Good article
the first race that came to mind was the ARC