Knicks Go, winner of the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 6 at Del Mar, was named the world's best racehorse for 2021 in the year-end Longines World Racing Awards.

The awards, presented by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), were presented during a virtual ceremony on Jan. 25. 

The 5-year-old by Paynter ended the year with a 129 rating, two point above three European-based runners in Adayar, Mishriff, and St Mark’s Basilica at 127.

Knicks Go finished 2021 with five wins from seven starts, including Grade 1 wins in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational in January and the Whitney Stakes in August. The clear front-runner for the Eclipse Award as North America’s Horse of the Year will make his final career start in the 2022 Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Jan. 29.

Another Breeders’ Cup victor who rated high in the final rankings is Life Is Good, a 5 ¾-length runaway winner of the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. The colt, who also is targeting the 2022 Pegasus, finished with a 124 rating, tied for 10th with Longines Classic runner-up and Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve winner Medina Spirit, impressive Runhappy Malibu Stakes winner Flightline, and two other runners. Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets and Runhappy Travers Stakes winner Essential Quality (who ran third in the Longines Classic) finished with a 122 rating, good for 15th along with five others.

The Longines World Racing Awards also celebrated the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe as the 2021 Longines World’s Best Horse Race with a rating of 124.75. This award recognizes the best-rated race of the highest-rated Group/Grade 1 international races as established by a panel of international handicappers.

Ryan Moore also was honored as the Longines World’s Best Jockey of the year. The awarding of the Longines World’s Best Jockey title is based upon performances in the 100 highest-rated Group 1 and Grade 1 races as established for the year by the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee. Moore also was named the Longines World’s Best Jockey in 2014 and 2016.