Sea the Stars retains world's top rating

Sea the Stars remains alone atop the latest World Thoroughbred Rankings released on Thursday with a rating of 135.

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sea the Stars is rated five pounds higher than two-time Breeders' Cup Mile winner Goldikova. Rip Van Winkle is third at 129, while Zenyatta's Breeders' Cup Classic triumph earned her a 128 mark, good enough for a two-way tie for fourth with Fame and Glory.

Sea the Stars's rating, however, was not awarded for his Arc triumph, but for his victory over Fame and Glory in the Irish Champion Stakes. Rip Van Winkle received his 129 for both his second-place finish to Sea the Stars in the Eclipse Stakes and his win in the one-mile Sussex Stakes.

Goldikova is the leading miler and the highest rated filly or mare in the world. Her 130 rating came for her six-length score in the Prix Jacques le Marois. Zenyatta's 128 is a three-pound improvement over her previous September mark of 125, which she earned for winning both the Milady and the Vanity handicaps. Zenyatta is the highest rated horse in the world on synthetic surfaces, three pounds ahead of Classic runner-up Gio Ponti at 125.

Conduit's 125 was awarded for both his second Breeders' Cup Turf victory and his win in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. As such, he is the highest rated older male in the world along with Gio Ponti and three-time Arc runner-up Youmzain. Those three are in a five-way tie for sixth with Arc third-place finisher Cavalryman and Rachel Alexandra, who is both the highest rated horse in the world on dirt, as well as the world's leading 3-year-old filly. Her 125 rating was earned for her six-length triumph in the Haskell Invitational.

Mastercraftsman and Paco Boy share 11th place at 124. Presious Passion's game second in the Breeders' Cup Turf was worth 123 along with Twice Over, Zacinto, and Summer Bird.

Presious Passion thus rates as the best American turf horse with Breeders' Cup Mile runner-up Courageous Cat second at 122 and Gio Ponti third at 121, the mark he earned for winning the Arlington Million.

Other than Rachel Alexandra and Summer Bird, only two horses on dirt made the top 50 - Quality Road at 121 for his second in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, and Mine That Bird at 120 for his Preakness second to Rachel Alexandra.