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Date: 01/15/03
The British Horseracing Board released their International Classifications for 2002 today, and Rock of Gibraltar, winner of 7 consecutive Group One races, was named the high weight for the year with 128 pounds. The International Classification weights are assigned by a panel of international handicappers for horses who raced in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America.
Rock of Gibraltar's rating might have been higher than that had he been raced more agressively. British Horseracing Board handicapper Dominic Gardiner-Hill said: "Who knows how good he could have been? He could have been the best horse we've seen in the last 10 years. Sadly, he was never asked to win his races by far enough and never met the calibre of opposition that would allow us to rate him any higher."
Overall, 2002 was not a very good year for racing, with ratings lower than usual. Rock of Gibraltar's 128 pounds is the lowest highweight since the classification system was started 25 years ago. The top rated older horse, Marienbard, only got 127 pounds which is the lowest weight since 1994. The top rated US performers were Azeri at 125 and War Emblem at 124.
Two-Year-Olds | |||
---|---|---|---|
Horse | Weight | Trainer | Country |
Oasis Dream | 123 | John Gosden | UK |
Tout Seul | 122 | Fulke Johnson Houghton | UK |
Six Perfections | 121 | Pascal Bary | France |
Elusive City | 119 | Gerard Butler | UK |
Tomahawk | 119 | Aidan O'Brien | Ireland |
Dalakhani | 118 | Alain de Royer Dupre | France |
Somnus | 118 | Tim Easterby | UK |
Airwave | 117 | Henry Candy | UK |
Hold That Tiger | 117 | Aidan O'Brien | Ireland |
Zafeen | 117 | Mick Channon | UK |
Three-Year-Olds | |||
Horse | Weight | Trainer | Country |
Rock Of Gibraltar | 128 | Aidan O'Brien | Ireland |
High Chaparral | 126 | Aidan O'Brien | Ireland |
Sulamani | 126 | Pascal Bary | France |
War Emblem | 124 | Bob Baffert | USA |
Act One | 123 | Jonathan Pease | France |
Hawk Wing | 123 | Aidan O'Brien | Ireland |
Where Or When | 123 | Terry Mills | UK |
Came Home | 121 | J Paco Gonzalez | USA |
Medaglia d'Oro | 121 | Bobby Frankel | USA |
Bright Sky | 120 | Elie Lellouche | France |
Buddha | 120 | H James Bond | USA |
Gygistar | 120 | Mark Hennig | USA |
Harlan's Holiday | 120 | Todd A Pletcher | USA |
Islington | 120 | Sir Michael Stoute | UK |
Landseer | 120 | Aidan O'Brien | Ireland |
Moon Ballad | 120 | Saeed bin Suroor | UK |
Next Desert | 120 | A. Schutz | Germany |
Repent | 120 | Ken McPeek | USA |
Sarava | 120 | Ken McPeek | USA |
Thunderello | 120 | Scott Lake | USA |
Older Horses | |||
Horse | Weight | Trainer | Country |
Marienbard | 127 | Saeed bin Suroor | UK |
Golan | 126 | Sir Michael Stoute | UK |
Grandera | 126 | Saeed bin Suroor | UK |
Keltos | 126 | Carlos Laffon-Parias | France |
Azeri | 125 | Laura de Seroux | USA |
Nayef | 125 | Marcus Tregoning | UK |
Volponi | 125 | Philip Johnson | USA |
Domedriver | 124 | Pascal Bary | France |
Northerly | 124 | Fred Kersley | Australia |
Orientate | 124 | D Wayne Lukas | USA |
Street Cry | 124 | Saeed bin Suroor | UK |
Photo ©2003, Cindy Pierson Dulay
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