2008 World Thoroughbred Rankings - Guide

Guide

A complete guide to the main table above.

Rank
A horse's position in the list, with the most highly rated at number 1. Each horse is ranked once according to its highest rating. Any lesser ratings for the same horse are not ranked.
Rating
A rating represents a weight value in pounds, with higher values given to horses which showed greater ability. It is judged that these weights would equalise the abilities of the horses if carried in a theoretical handicap race. The minimum rating required for inclusion is 115.
Horse
Each horse's name is followed by a suffix (from the IFHA's International Code of Suffixes) which indicates the country foaled.
Age
The age of the horse at the time it achieved its rating. The racing ages of all horses foaled in a particular part of the world increase simultaneously, regardless of the actual date of foaling.
Dates of age increase by location foaled
Northern Hemisphere 1 January
South America 1 July
Australia, New Zealand and South Africa 1 August
Sex
C Colt Ungelded male horse up to four-years-old
F Filly Female horse up to four-years-old
H Horse Ungelded male horse over four-years-old
M Mare Female horse over four-years-old
G Gelding Gelded male horse of any age
Trained
The country where the horse was trained at the time of the rating, abbreviated using the International Code of Suffixes.
Position
The horse's finishing position in the race shown. The actual finishing order can sometimes be amended following an inquiry or a disqualification.
= Dead-heat
Promoted from original finishing position
Relegated from original finishing position
Race
The race (or one of the races) for which the horse achieved its rating. A defeated horse can be rated above its higher-placed opponents if it carried more weight.
Surface
The surface of the track on which the race was run, eg. turf or dirt. Synthetic surfaces are described as "artificial".
Distance
The distance of the race in metres. In some countries (eg. Canada, Great Britain, Ireland and the United States), the length of a race is usually expressed in miles and furlongs. These units have been converted to metres to allow for universal comparison.
Common conversions
5 furlongs = 1,006 m 1 mile and 1½ furlongs = 1,911 m
6 furlongs = 1,207 m 1 mile and 2 furlongs = 2,012 m
6½ furlongs = 1,308 m 1 mile and 2½ furlongs = 2,112 m
7 furlongs = 1,408 m 1 mile and 3 furlongs = 2,213 m
7½ furlongs = 1,509 m 1 mile and 4 furlongs = 2,414 m
1 mile = 1,609 m 1 mile and 6 furlongs = 2,816 m
1 mile and ½ furlong = 1,710 m 2 miles = 3,219 m
1 mile and 1 furlong = 1,811 m 2 miles and 4 furlongs = 4,023 m
Category
Metres Furlongs
S Sprint 1,000–1,300
1,000–1,599 (CAN / USA)
5–6.5
5–7.99 (CAN / USA)
M Mile 1,301–1,899
1,600–1,899 (CAN / USA)
6.51–9.49
8–9.49 (CAN / USA)
I Intermediate 1,900–2,100 9.5–10.5
L Long 2,101–2,700 10.51–13.5
E Extended 2,701+ 13.51+
International Code of Suffixes
The following countries have been represented in the WTR as foaling or training locations since the first edition in 2004.
ARG Argentina ITY Italy
AUS Australia JPN Japan
BRZ Brazil KSA Saudi Arabia
CAN Canada NZ New Zealand
CHI Chile SAF South Africa
CZE Czech Republic SIN Singapore
FR France SPA Spain
GB Great Britain TUR Turkey
GER Germany UAE United Arab Emirates
HK Hong Kong USA United States
HUN Hungary VEN Venezuela
IRE Ireland ZIM Zimbabwe
Shading
The shaded areas represent lesser ratings recorded by horses which were more highly rated in a different category. The IFHA publishes this information when the lower rating is the overall top performance in a particular category.

Read more about this topic:  2008 World Thoroughbred Rankings

Famous quotes containing the word guide:

    Those thoughts are truth which guide us to beneficial interaction with sensible particulars as they occur, whether they copy these in advance or not.
    William James (1842–1910)

    The office of the scholar is to cheer, to raise, and to guide men by showing them facts amidst appearances. He plies the slow, unhonored, and unpaid task of observation.... He is the world’s eye.
    Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)

    New York has her wilderness within her own borders; and though the sailors of Europe are familiar with the soundings of her Hudson, and Fulton long since invented the steamboat on its waters, an Indian is still necessary to guide her scientific men to its headwaters in the Adirondack country.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)