Ka Ying Rising leads the world rankings in the first edition of 2026

The sprinter, following a remarkable performance at Sha Tin, Hong Kong, earned 128 points and leads Romantic Warrior by 4; Forever Young sits third with 123 units

Ka Ying Rising and a massive triumph that propelled him to the summit of the rankings / HKJC

The dominance of the extraordinary Hong Kong sprinter Ka Ying Rising continues without pause as he moves into a third consecutive season. The son of Shamexpress returned to the winner's circle this past February 22, reaching 18 consecutive victories—a streak that is now reflected on the international stage.

That performance allowed him to claim the top spot in the first Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings of 2026, published this Thursday, which considers performances recorded between January 1 and March 8.

The committee responsible for compiling the ranking—operating under the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA)—assigned the 6-year-old gelding a rating of 128, placing him with a clear advantage over the rest of the world.

Behind him appears another icon of Asian turf, fellow Hong Kong representative Romantic Warrior (Acclamation), who received a mark of 124, sitting 4 points below the leader.

Third place in the ranking belongs to Japan's Forever Young (Real Steel), who also positions himself as the highest-rated horse on dirt following his resounding victory in the Saudi Cup (G1) on February 14 in Riyadh. The Yoshito Yahagi trainee received a valuation of 123.

Also in Saudi Arabia, Royal Champion (Shamardal) earned significant points as the winner of the Neom Turf Cup(G1T) on the same card, appearing fourth with 122.

Among the horses regularly competing in the United States, the best-placed is Nysos (Nyquist), owned by Baoma Corp, who ranks fifth with 121 following his second-place finish behind Forever Young in the Saudi Cup.

Further down the list are other representatives of the Northern circuit within the group of 22 horses classified in this first update of the world rankings.

Notable among them are Godolphin's Knightsbridge (Nyquist), who shares seventh place with 119, and the experienced Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator), owned by Daniel Alonso, who appears in a four-way tie for eleventh place with 118.

Rounding out the American presence is Magnitude (Not This Time), owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds, who sits in an eight-horse tie for 15th place with 117.

Although the international calendar is only beginning to take shape in 2026, the first ranking of the year sends a clear message: Ka Ying Rising remains the horse to beat.

The Hong Kong sprinter not only maintains a streak spanning three calendar years but also dominates the world standings with a significant margin, confirming that his extraordinary consistency has made him one of the premier figures in global racing today.