Despite falling 1 ¼ lengths short to Authentic in the Kentucky Derby, Tiz the Law holds down a share of third in the just-released Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for 2020.
In the rankings compiled by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities handicappers, Tiz the Law (125 rating) is the highest-ranked North American horse in the world racehorse rankings. He is one of four North American horses in the top nine, along with Authentic, Improbable, and Tom’s d’Etat. That trio sits in a six-way tie for ninth, with a rating of 123.
The IFHA handicappers compiled the latest list using races run between Jan. 1, 2020 and Sept. 6, 2020. They measure a horse’s performance in elite races during that timeframe. The rankings factor in the quality of the opposition, along with a horse’s achievements against his peers.
Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings
| Horse (Country of Breeding) | Rating | Country Trained | |
| 1 | Ghaiyyath (IRE) | 130 | Great Britain |
| 2 | Palace Pier (GB) | 126 | Great Britain |
| 3 | Â Persian King (IRE) | 125 | France |
| 3 | Stradiviarius (IRE) | 125 | Great Britain |
| 3 | Tiz the Law (USA) | 125 | USA |
| 6 | Almond Eye (JPN) | 124 | Japan |
| 6 | Enable (GB) | 124 | Great Britain |
| 6 | Nature Strip (AUS) | 124 | Australia |
| 9 | Authentic (USA) | 123 | USA |
| 9 | Improbable (USA) | 123 | USA |
| 9 | Lord North (IRE) | 123 | Great Britain |
| 9 | Love (IRE) | 123 | Ireland |
| 9 | Mohaather (GB) | 123 | Great Britain |
| 9 | Tom’s d’Etat (USA) | 123 | USA |
Irish powerhouse Ghaiyyath holds the top spot in the World Racehorse Rankings with a rating of 130, a byproduct of several factors. First, he’s 4-for-4 in 2020. Second, he owns victories over several other highly rated horses this year. Last time out, he beat Magical (121 rating) by three lengths in the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes. The race before, he beat Enable (124) by 2 ¼ lengths in the Grade 1 Coral-Eclipse.
Earlier this year, he beat Anthony Van Dyck (121) by 2 ½ lengths in the Group 1 Coronation Cup Stakes. That followed Ghaiyyath’s season-opening 8 ½-length dissection of the Group 3 Millennium Stakes in Dubai, where he covered the 2,000 meters in a track-record 2:00.33.
Enable Proves Very Able in 2020
Enable holds a share of the No. 6 spot with Japanese standout Almond Eye and Australian Nature Strip. The coholder of 2019’s Longines World’s Best Racehorse title rebounded from that loss to win the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes by 5 ½ lengths. She followed that with a seven-length romp in the Grade 3 September Stakes.
English 3-year-old Palace Pier holds the second spot with a 126 rating. He has two Group 1 wins among his three 2020 victories, the St. James’ Palace Stakes and the Jacques le Marois.
Tiz the Law shares the No. 3 spot with a pair of Irish standouts, Persian King and Stradivarius. Tiz the Law joined the Irish pair after his 5 ¼-length victory in the Travers Stakes. That joined the Florida Derby and Belmont Stakes as his third Grade 1 victory and fourth graded stakes win of 2020. Persian King conquered France this year, winning the Group 1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan, and the Group 2 Prix du Muguet.
Tiz the Law, Persian King Join Their Marathon-Running Elder
Those wins vaulted the pair of 3-year-olds into company with the incomparable Stradivarius. After finishing third to Ghaiyyath and Anthony Van Dyck in the Coronation Cup, Stradivarius won his third consecutive Royal Ascot Gold Cup by 10 lengths. He followed that by winning a record fourth Goodwood Cup by a length, despite giving up 15 pounds to his chief competitor – Santiago.
Going 5-for-6 with two Grade 1 wins, a Grade 2 and a Grade 3 – while finishing second in the one race he didn’t win (the Santa Anita Derby) – explains Authentic’s spot on the ladder. His stablemate in Bob Baffert’s barn, Improbable, earned his spot with impressive victories on both ends of the country in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita, and the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga.
Tom’s d’Etat holds his place with victories in the Oaklawn Stakes and Grade 2 Stephen Foster, along with his third in the Whitney. That latter race, courtesy of a horrible start.
The other notable sharing ranking real estate with Authentic, Improbable, and Tom’s d’Etat is Irish filly Love. She’s 3-for-3 this year, with all three wins coming in Group 1s — the 1000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks, and Yorkshire Oaks.