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In 2024, there have been 437 international Group 1 races run so far with a further three to close out the year: the Las Oaks from Chile and the Hopeful Stakes and Tokyo Daishoten, both in Japan.
So what are some of the key statistics around the world’s best races and who have been the leading lights?
Where were they run?
This year’s international Group 1 races were run across 18 countries, from a whopping 93 across the United States to just one – the Saudi Cup – in Saudi Arabia.
More than 84 percent of Group 1 races are run in nine countries. Australia hosted 75 Group 1 races, Argentina 39, Great Britain 36, South Africa 29, France 27, Brazil 26, Japan 25 and New Zealand 20.
Chile (17), Ireland (13) and Hong Kong (12) were also well represented, while the remainder came from Germany, Peru, the United Arab Emirates (all seven), Canada (four) and Uruguay (two).
Who were the most prolific Group 1 horses?
There were two queens of world racing in 2024, one on each side of the Pacific Ocean.
The turf division was dominated by Via Sistina. The Chris Waller-trained mare won five Group 1 races in Australia: the Ranvet Stakes, Winx Stakes, Turnbull Stakes, Cox Plate and VRC Champions Stakes. Her eight-length victory in the Cox Plate was enough to elevate her to the position of top female horse worldwide.
On dirt, it was three-year-old filly Thorpedo Anna for trainer Kenny McPeek. The Kentucky Oaks heroine added the Acorn Stakes, Coaching Club American Oaks, Cotillion Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Distaff to also make it five Grade 1 victories. She will get a chance to build on her tally early in the new year.
Fittingly, a quartet of horses won four Group 1 races each, led by a pair of Hong Kong Group 1 winners in Romantic Warrior and Rebel’s Romance.
Romantic Warrior won three features at home, recording his QEII Cup-Hong Kong Cup double for the third year in a row while also landing his first-ever Hong Kong Gold Cup triumph and adding the Yasuda Kinen in Japan.
Rebel’s Romance stopped in Hong Kong briefly, becoming the first foreign-trained winner of the Champions & Chater Cup. That was among four Group 1 wins in four different countries, taking the Sheema Classic in the United Arab Emirates, the Preis von Europa in Germany and his second Breeders’ Cup Turf in the United States.
They were joined by remarkable stayer Kyprios and warhorse Mr Brightside in notching four Group 1 wins across the calendar year.
Eleven horses won three, including Arc winner Bluestocking, top three-year-old City Of Troy and sprinter Bella Nipotina. Las Oaks favorite Dona Clota can join them too.
Who were the most prolific Group 1 jockeys?
There were two standout riders in 2024: James McDonald and Ryan Moore, who rode 19 Group 1 winners each.
McDonald was crowned World’s Best Jockey based on his performance in the top 100 Group 1 races, narrowly edging out Moore. On strike rate too, McDonald was far superior to Moore – the Kiwi jockey won at 19 of his 55 starts in Group 1 races in 2024 at 34.5 percent, while Moore had 89 Group 1 rides, meaning he struck at a commendable but still inferior 21.3 percent.
In Moore’s favor, he won Group 1 races in Great Britain, Ireland, France and the United States, while McDonald was victorious in Australia, Hong Kong and Japan.
Flavien Prat and William Buick won 16 Group 1 races each, while Tyler Gaffalione, John Velazquez and Craig Williams notched seven apiece. Oscar Ulloa can join them on Dona Clota in the Las Oaks.