Equinox Cements Place as Highest Rated Racehorse in The World
The world’s highest-rated racehorse, Equinox, ended the year on a high by winning the Japan Cup in Tokyo. It was his fourth victory of the season and his sixth Grade One/Group One triumph of his career.
The best in the world! Sit back and enjoy Equinox's Japan Cup victory! #イクイノックス | #ジャパンカップ | #競馬 pic.twitter.com/0Pmpa7cPTr
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 26, 2023
Ridden by French jockey Christophe Lemaire, the pair clocked a time of 2min 21.8 sec when crossing the line in the prestigious Japanese contest over one mile and four furlongs (1m4f). It was just behind the course record set by Almond Eye (2min 20.6sec).
This result ensures Equinox, who has an official rating of 129, remains at the top of the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings at the end of 2023.
Some Big Targets Likely In 2024
Equinox’s trainer Tetsuya Kimura has said he will not rush any decisions on his horse’s future. The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe could be an option for him in 2024. He is available at +1400 in the betting for anyone placing racing bets on the Japanese horse in that race.
Kimura’s runner is likely to be one of the leading horse racing tips for the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan in March, should he return to the UAE. That was the first race he won in 2023, beating a strong field of rivals from Europe.
Royal Ascot and the Breeders’ Cup could also be two major meetings considered by his connections should he remain in training as a five-year-old. He has shown versatility across various distances as he won races between 1m1f and 1m4f.
If Kimura and the horse’s owners decide to retire their horse, he would most likely have a new career as a sire. Given what he has achieved so far on the track, he would be able to demand a hefty stud fee.
Record Prize Money
His victory in the 2023 Japan Cup ensured Equinox’s total career prize money went up to $16.51 million. It is the most won by a Japanese-trained horse in history. It also puts him just behind some of the most successful thoroughbreds of all time.
The race at Tokyo was the most lucrative he has featured in so far. He beat 17 other runners, stretching away from his rivals in the final couple of furlongs for a four-length success. Triple Crown heroine Liberty Island chased him home in second place, while there was a group of Grade One winners further back.
Congratulations to Equinox for winning the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn). pic.twitter.com/MNGF9Eyq2I
— IFHA's Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings (@worldsbesthorse) October 30, 2022
The son of Kitasan Black also had wins in the Takarazauka Kinen and the Tenno Sho in 2023. In the former, he was given the toughest test of his career so far, as he was made to work hard, coming out on top by a small margin of a head. His success in the Tenno Sho was much more comfortable, as he was over two lengths clear when crossed the finish line.
Equinox has provided racing fans around the world with some magical moments in 2023 and it would be no surprise to see him land multiple prizes at the major racing awards at the end of the calendar year.
