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| Staff Writer |
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Mystik Dan, the thrilling Gr.1 Kentucky Derby winner, has debuted in the Longines World's Best Racehorse rankings with a rating of 120, tying him for sixth place with nine other horses. The son of Goldencents, trained by Kenny McPeek for Repole Stable and others, is now among the top-rated 3-year-old dirt horses in the world.
The rankings, which cover 3YO and upwards that raced between January 1 and May 5, 2024, have seen several new additions including Notable Speech, an undefeated turf horse who surged into a tie for third with a 121 rating after his impressive victory in the Gr.1 2000 Guineas Stakes. Master of the Seas, who won the Gr.1 Maker's Mark Mile Stakes, and Justin Milano, who won the Gr.1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), have also joined the rankings.
Notable Speech's victory in the 2000 Guineas Stakes marked his first race at the top level and his first effort on turf, but he proved to be a dominant force, winning by 1 ½ lengths. Meanwhile, Mystik Dan's dramatic victory in the Kentucky Derby saw him edge out Sierra Leone and Forever Young by a nose each.
The current top-ranked horse is Laurel River, rated 128, while Rebel's Romance remains the second-rated horse with a 123 rating. Pride of Jenni, an Australian filly/mare, has improved her rating to 120 and is now the highest-rated filly/mare in the world.