Nysos Breaks Into the World's Elite in the Longines Rankings

The hero of the Met Mile scaled up to 125 points in the international standings; Golden Tempo and Englishman also entered the list following their stellar performances at Saratoga

The recent updates to the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings brought significant shifts to the elite of global racing, with several stars from Europe and the United States joining or improving their positions following a series of outstanding performances across both continents.

Among the most prominent names is Nysos, who raised his rating to 125 points after the stunning exhibition he put on in Saratoga's Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1), where he crushed his rivals by 4 lengths to confirm all the potential his trainer, Bob Baffert, always attributed to him.

The new rating places the son of Nyquist—who will join the Ashford Stud stallion roster at the end of the year—tied for fifth place in the world standings alongside Notable Speech (Dubawi) and Ombudsman (Night of Thunder), all sharing a mark of 125.

For Nysos, the improvement is particularly significant, as he had started the season with a 121 rating following his meritorious runner-up finish behind Forever Young (Real Steel) in the Saudi Cup (G1).

Holding onto the top spot of the list is the sprinter Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) with 130 points, ahead of the undefeated colt Bow Echo (Night of Thunder), Daryz (Sea the Stars), and Romantic Warrior (Acclamation), all sitting on 126 units.

The British-bred Notable Speech entered the 2026 rankings directly after his authoritative 2-length victory over More Thunder (Night of Thunder) in the Lockinge Stakes (G1).

Meanwhile, Ombudsman also made a major leap, moving from 120 to 125 points after prevailing in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes (G3). The Godolphin representative had already proven his quality months earlier by capturing the Dubai Turf (G1) at Meydan.

More New Names

Another name to join the list of the world's elite was Almaqam (Lope de Vega), rated at 122 points after defeating Bay City Roller (New Bay) by 2 lengths in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1).

The story did not end there for the runner-up, as Bay City Roller immediately bounced back into the spotlight by staging one of the most impactful performances of the European season, winning the Coronation Cup (G1) at Epsomby 10 lengths. Both now share a 122 rating.

Among the fillies and mares, the British-bred Kalpana (Study of Man) debuted her season with a victory in the Aston Park Stakes (G3) and received an initial rating of 120 points, positioning herself among the top stayers of the moment.

The update also featured two emerging stars of American racing.

On one hand is Golden Tempo (Curlin), who confirmed his status as leader of the classic generation by stringing together victories in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and the Belmont Stakes (G1), performances that earned him a 120-point rating.

The same rating was awarded to Englishman, the brilliant son of Maxfield who pulverized his rivals in Saratoga's Woody Stephens Stakes (G1), even equaling the track record for the 1400 meters.

The success of Englishman had a special resonance in Argentina, where Maxfield stood at stud for two seasons at Haras Firmamento. In fact, the first products born there are being marketed this year, while the yearlings that will form the inaugural crop of Firmamento Racing are all by the outstanding North American stallion.

Also holding steady at 120 points is the Chilean-bred Teao (Ya Primo), who earned that mark after prevailing in late April in the Gran Premio Latinoamericano (G1) at Monterrico in Lima, Peru. He is the sole South American representative on the list.

With the international calendar heading into one of its most intense periods, and with Royal Ascot, Saratoga, and Del Mar as the next major stages, the rankings promise to undergo further significant changes in the coming months.