Untapable wins the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff, one of the highlights of Rosie Napravnik’s fine 2014. Photo: Breeders’ Cup/Ben Van Hook
Britain may have the top jockey in the world on TRC Global Rankings at the moment in the shape of Ryan Moore, but the stats illustrate what an impressive spread of high-performing riders there is across the rest of world.
As the table below illustrates, the United States particularly has a formidable record.
TRC Global Rankings rank every Jockey, Trainer, Owner and Sire over a rolling three-year period based on their results in all Group and Graded races recognised by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA). But here, the algorithm has instead isolated every jockey’s final total points by single year for each of the past six years (back to the start of the rankings database). The table ranks the best 100 annual performances in order.
Moore’s remarkable 2016, in which he rode the winners of 20 G1s, comes out top, of course, but it’s America that stands out as the nation with the most strength in depth.
No less than 32 of the 100 best years are by U.S.-based riders, headed by Javier Castellano’s 2015. John Velazquez also features prominently with three totals in the top 15.
America’s 32 (from 14 different riders) outranks Australia’s 25 entries in the 100 (from 11 different people). Aussie Nash Rawiller’s 2012 is the second best annual total there has been. Great Britain has 18 entries (from 8 riders), France 9 (from 4) and Japan 8 (from 6). Also represented are Ireland 6 (from 2) and Argentina and New Zealand (one each).
The U.S. also has the distinction of having the only female with a year in the 100 - Rosie Napravnik’s 2014 comes in at #95.
Top 100 best individual seasons by jockeys over the last six years