Jockeys Joao Moreira, Joel Rosario and Flavien Prat and the sires of American Pharoah and Arrogate are the big names making significant ground in the latest TRC Global Rankings, which are updated today to include all last week’s Group and Graded action around the world.
‘Magic Man’ Moreira is up to world #8 in the jockeys’ standings after a week that included victory on Blizzard in the only Group race in Hong Kong, leapfrogging U.S.-based Frenchman Florent Geroux. The Brazilian, who gained four ranking points over the week, is climbing ever closer to a position in the standings commensurate with the reputation he has built in Australia and the Far East over the past few seasons.
Geroux’s fellow U.S.-based French rider, Flavien Prat, was a six-point gainer on the week, which moves him up five places to #51, after a Santa Anita Graded-race double on Dec. 26 with Constellation (for Jerry Hollendorfer, himself now up to #25 in the trainers’ standings) and Conquest Enforcer (for Philip D’Amato, move of whom later).
Joel Rosario moves up two places to 22 after he landed the other two Graded races at Santa Anita on Dec. 26. Mind Your Biscuits’ win in the G1 Malibu Stakes was the week’s standout performance on Racing Post Ratings (achieving a mark of 118). Rosario also won a G3 on Bettys Bambino, which moved trainer Peter Eurton up 15 places to #78 after a five-point gain. Rosario is now #5 among U.S.-based riders.
American Pharoah’s sire, Pioneerof The Nile, is now joint 18th- ranked in the sires’ standings (with Candy Ride) after a two-point gain courtesy largely of Midnight Storm, winner of the G2 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita on Sunday. Midnight Storm was another for the aforementioned D’Amato, who is up to #32 after a fine week in which he gained five points.
Midnight Storm was benefitting from the absence of Arrogate, a late San Pasqual withdrawal, but there was still a nice move up the standings from the Breeders’ Cup Classic winner's sire, Unbridled’s Song, who is up ten places to #36 after gaining three points thanks to a G3 success with Squadron A at Gulfstream, also on Sunday. Squadron A’s trainer, Dale Romans, is also up in the rankings (from 57 to 52) after a two-point gain.
TRC Global Rankings: other significant points gainers this week
JOCKEY: Jonathan Parkes (Modal country: New Zealand). Highlight of the week: the 28-year-old, currently second in the NZ jockeys’ premiership, rode Start Wondering to win the G1 Sistema Railway Stakes at Ellerslie on Sunday; 8pt gain; climbs from 341 to 239.
OWNER: Peters Investments Pty Ltd Syndicate (Australia). Highlight: two wins at Ascot in Western Australia on Saturday via Cosmic Storm (G3) and Star Exhibit (G2); 5pt gain, but still at world #9 and Australia’s #2.
TRAINER: Ricky (P.F.) Yiu (Hong Kong). Highlight: Yiu, whose stable stars in the past include Fairy King Prawn, Sacred Kingdom and Amber Sky, trains Sha Tin G3 winner Blizzard; 9pt gain (the week’s biggest); climbs from 357 to 223.
SIRE: Posse (USA). Highlight: the New York stallion, a son of Silver Deputy, is the sire of G1 Malibu Stakes winner Mind Your Biscuits; 5pt gain; climbs from 351 to 247.
SIRE: Bellamy Road (USA). Highlight: the former WinStar stallion, who now stands at Duchess Views Farm, New York, is the sire of Constellation, winner of the G1 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26; 5pt gain; climbs from 444 to 297.
Click here for a list of the week’s biggest points gainers.