List Of Undefeated Horses

The list of leading Thoroughbred racehorses contains the names of undefeated racehorses and other horses that had an outstanding race record in specific categories. Note though that many champions do not appear on the list as an unexpected defeat may be caused by many factors such as injury, illness, going, racing tactics and differences in weight carried, the latter being particularly significant in North America and Australia where handicaps are common even at the highest level of racing.

It is common to compare racehorses on multiple factors such as their overall race record, the quality of the horses they beat and the brilliance of their wins. Comparison of raw times is generally unreliable between horses of different eras or even over different racecourses due to a variety of factors such as the racing surface and the pace at which the race is run. Timeform ratings, introduced in 1948, and Beyer Speed Figures, introduced in the United States in 1992, are relatively recent attempts to compensate for such variables. Thoroughbred Winning Brew holds the Guinness world record for the fastest speed from the starting gate for a Thoroughbred racehorse, at 70.76 km/h (43.97 mph) over two furlongs, although Quarter Horses attain higher speeds over shorter distances than Thoroughbreds. Such speeds may also be achieved by elite racehorses during the stretch drive.

The two main forms of Thoroughbred horseracing are flat racing and hurdle or steeplechase (jumping) races over obstacles. Jumpers tend to be older than their flat racing counterparts and can have much longer careers, making it possible to earn a large number of wins. For example, champion hurdler Hurricane Fly won a then-record 22 Grade One races over his ten-year career.

Most race horses and race winners are male horses (either intact males or geldings). While male and female horses do not exhibit sexual dimorphism as obviously as human athletes, male horses are considered more aggressive racers and generally have a significant competitive advantage. At the highest level of racing though, intact males have great economic value at stud, so they are often retired after only a few years of racing. In part because they may have longer racing careers, some of the most winning racehorses of all time are females, including Kincsem, Black Caviar, Winx, and Zenyatta.

Undefeated horses

Below is a list of Thoroughbred racehorses with an undefeated race record. The list is not comprehensive for otherwise unnotable horses with five or fewer starts.

Federico Tesio bred several undefeated champions including Nearco, Ribot, Braque, and Cavaliere d'Arpino, whom he considered the best horse that he ever bred.

Undefeated horses without five known starts

Nordlicht (chestnut horse 1941–1968, by Oleander x Nereide, by Laland) was also undefeated after an unknown number of starts. His victories included the Deutsches Derby and Austrian Derby. Middleton and Amato had one start each with both of them winning The Derby and then retiring. Cherimoya did likewise when she won The Oaks in her only start. Morston (colt by Ragusa x Windmill Girl by Hornbeam) had two starts, winning both, the second of which was the 1973 Epsom Derby. Sailor won both his races, including the 1820 Epsom Derby. Suspender had three starts, in smaller races, for three wins. Don Juan by Loyalist, Ball's Florizel (1801), Mirza by the Godolphin Arabian, and Lecturer (1869), were also unbeaten, but the number of their wins is unknown.Wentworth, Lady, "Thoroughbred Breeding Stock", George Allen & Unwin Ltd., London, 1960.

Most wins

There have been only 7 horses to win over 100 races, most of them coming from Puerto Rico in restricted racing. The all time record, recognized by the Guinness World Records, goes to Chorisbar who won 197 times over the course of 324 career starts. Condado, a chestnut horse who raced in Puerto Rico from 1936-1943, won a grand total of 152 times Galgo Jr earned 137 wins in 159 starts from 1930 to 1936. Cofresi won 119 races, racing at around the same time as Condado.

In the United States, Kingston (by Spendthrift) had 138 starts and won 89 of these, including 30 stakes-races. According to the American Horse Racing Hall of Fame, his 89 wins set the all-time record. Commencing a winning sequence as a four-year-old on 21 August 1888, Kingston had 35 race starts until 30 May 1891 during which he was defeated only twice. Bankrupt won 86 races from 348 starts, and he was also by Spendthrift.TbH: Spendthrift
Retrieved 22 August 2010. Tippety Witchet (1915, by Broomstick) started 266 times for 78 wins. Pan Zareta started 151 times with 76 wins and is considered to be the "winningest female Thoroughbred in American history".

Catherina (1830, by Whisker) started in 176 races and won 79 of them, many over long distances, including the Manchester Cup, Tradesmen's Cup, and Heaton Park's King's Cup.TbH: Whisker
Retrieved 13 September 2010. Many of Catherina's races were heat races, and she therefore actually faced the starter 298 times and was the first past the finish line 136 times, including two disqualifications, one walkover, and two dead-heats.

* 197 – Chorisbar
* 160 – Yaucono
* 152 – Condado
* 137 – Galgo Jr
* 132 – Lenoxbar
* 119 – Cofresi
* 100 – Tite
* 89 – Kingston
* 86 – Bankrupt
* 79 – Catherina(136 heats),Bachiller (PR)
* 78 – Tippety Witchet,Cocoliso (PR)
* 76 – Pan Zareta
* 73 – Camarero
* 65 – Jorrocks, Ritmo Criollo
* 63 – Vuelve Candy B.
* 62 – Imp

Successive victories

The horses who were defeated but had ten or more consecutive race wins include
* 56 –
** Camarero ( PR)
* 49 –
** Cofresi (PR)Thoroughbred Times: ''Camarero's record of 56 consecutive wins turns 50''
. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
* 43 –
** Condado (PR)
* 39 –
** Galgo Jr (PR)The Independent: ''World's top-rated horse Harbinger is sent to stud''
Retrieved 24 October 2010.
*37 –
** Condado PR)
* 33 –
** Winx (AUS)‡
*32 –
**Bachiller (PR)
*29 –
** Dojima Fighter
*26 –
**Cofresi (PR)
*25 –
**Tite (PR)
*24 –
** Sicótico ( DOM)
* 23
** Leviathan (USA) (1793)The Independent
Retrieved 28 October 2010.
** Cardiólogo (PR)
* 22
** Cocoliso (PR)
** Generations (USA)
** Miss Petty (AUS)‡Huxley, Dennis, ''Miller's Guide, Sporting records, 2009/2010'', Miller's Guide P/L, Moonee Ponds.
** Pooker T (PR)
** Rapid Redux (USA)
** Second Melbourne (JPN)
* 21
** Picnic in the Park (AUS)
** (Bond's) First Consul (USA)
** Lottery (USA)‡
** Meteor (GB)
* 20
** Filch (IRE)
** Kentucky (USA)
** Fashion (USA)‡

* 19
** Cheers Fancy (JPN)
** Desert Gold (NZ)‡
** Gloaming (AUS)
** Light (FR)
** Zenyatta (USA)‡
** Estrellero (PR)
** The Hero (GB)
** Altior (IRE)
** Sweetmeat (GB)
** Capa Prieto (PR)
* 18
** Ajax (AUS)
** Sally Hope (USA)‡
** High Security(VEN)
** Big Buck's (FR)
** Hindoo (USA)
* 17
** Bachiller (PR)
** Careless (Warren's, 1751)
** Condado (PR)
** Gay Lungi (AUS)
** Gradisco (VEN)
** Hanover (USA)
** Mainbrace (NZ)
** Silent Witness (AUS)
** Mister Park (KOR)
** Alice Hawthorn (GB)‡
** Beeswing (GB)‡
** Sir Ken (GB)
** Fratello Martino (DOM)
** Boston (USA)
* 16
** Cigar (USA)
** Citation (USA)
** Cofresi (PR)
** Hallowed Dreams (USA)
** Honeysuckle (GB)
** Luke Blackburn (USA)
** Miss Woodford (USA)‡
** Mister Frisky (USA)
** Sweetmeat (GB)
** The Bard (GB)
** Golden Sixty (AUS)
** Botafogo (ARG)
* 15
** Bayardo (GB)
** Bernborough (AUS)
** Brigadier Gerard (GB)
** Buckpasser (USA)
** Carbine (NZ)
** Galgo Jr (PR)
** Squanderer (IND)
** New Strong Man (KOR)
** Gay James (AUS)
** Pretty Polly (IRE)‡
** Vander Pool (USA)
** The Flying Dutchman (GB)
** Exclusivo (PR)
** Whaling Boat (KOR)
* 14
** Bandit Bomber (USA)
** Cadeneta (PR)
** D' Wildcat Speed
** Harry Bassett (USA)
** Kukulkan (MEX)
** Overdose (GB)Overdose is only seventh in Baden- Baden
Retrieved 30 August 2010.
** Hurley Road (PR)
** Phar Lap (NZ)
** Springfield (GB)
** Stylish Lord (AUS)
** Douvan (FR)
** Friponnier (GB)
** Prince Charlie (GB)
** Vuelve Candy B (PR)
** Man o' War (USA)
** Yaucono(PR)
* 13
** Camarine (GB)‡
** Bula (GB) (1965)
** Condado (PR)
** Cocoliso (PR)
** Galgo Jr (Twice) (PR)
** Limerick (NZ)Pring, Peter; "Analysis of Champion Racehorses", The Thoroughbred Press, Sydney, 1977, .
** Mollie McCarty (USA)‡
** Ignieto (PR)
** Timoleon (USA)
** Effie Deans (GB)‡
** Planet (USA)
** Kingston (USA)
** Polar Star (IRE)
** Grano De Oro (IRE)

* 12
** Cocoliso (PR)
** Enable (GB) ‡
** Gallant Bloom (USA)‡
** Harkaway (1834)
** Morvich (USA)
** La Prevoyante
** My Own Business (VEN)
** Tulloch (NZ)
** No Involvement (AUS)
** Spectacular Bid (USA)
** Super Easy (NZ)
** Hurley Road (PR)
** War Zone (JAM)
** Verset's Jet (PR)
** Va Bank (IRE)
** Yaucono(PR) (twice)
** Defensora (PR)‡
* 11
** Azeri (USA)‡
** Buveur d'Air(FR)
** Dainana Hoshu (JPN)
** Don Paco (PR)
** Eurythmic (AUS)
** Home Guard (SAF)
** Kingston Town (AUS)
** Perfeccion (PR)
** Native Dancer (USA)
** Nijinsky (CAN)
** Oju Chosan (JPN)
** Pink Lloyd (CAN)
** Somerset Fair
** Songbird (USA)‡
** Faugheen (IRE)
** Kelso (USA)*
** Miracle Man (JAM)
** Royal Dad (JAM)
** Taka O (JPN)
** Tom Fool (USA)
** Tosa Midori (JPN)
** The Harrovian (AUS)
** The Kid (PR)
** War Admiral (USA)
** Wizard (JPN)
** Yaucono(PR)
* 10
** Annie Power (IRE)
** Arquitecto (PR)
** Bambera (VEN)‡
** Baaeed (GB)
** Beauty Generation (NZ)
** Better Than Ever (AUS)
** Count Fleet (USA)
** Co Tack (AUS)
** Condado (PR)
** Galgo Jr (PR)
** Kindergarten (NZ)
** King Speed (JPN)
** Leonardo (PAN)
** Lost in the Fog (USA)
** Piko
** Quijano (GER)
** Ruffian (USA)‡
** Sir Fever (URU)
** Spectacular Bid (USA)
** Surround (NZ)‡
** Sprinter Sacre (FR)
** My Own Business (VEN)
** Muad'dib
** Native Dancer (USA)
** Awesome Feather (USA)‡
** Mac Diarmida (USA)
** Shinny (USA)
** Solow (GB)
** Star Guitar (USA)
** Stradivarius (IRE)
** Sysonby (USA)
** Totally Evil (USA)
** Runnin'toluvya (USA)
** Sarazen (USA)
** Mended (USA)‡
** Exclusivo (PR)
‡ Filly or mare

*The ninth race in Kelso's streak was earned via disqualification.

Timoleon (1813) won 13 consecutive races and sired National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame horse Boston (1833), who started in about 45 races, winning 40, including 15 in succession. Boston then sired Lexington, who had 7 starts for 6 wins and a place. Lexington in turn sired Kentucky (23 starts, 21 wins), plus the undefeated Asteroid and Norfolk.

Horses with long sequences of jumping victories include Sir Ken, who won 16 hurdle races in England; and Poethlyn, who won 11 steeplechases in succession, including two Grand National races.

Most wins in one season

* 46
** Lenoxbar
* 38
** Condado (PR) – 1937
*37
**Chorisbar – 1941
*35
** Condado (PR) – 1940
*32
**Yaucono (PR) – 1939
*30
**Jorrocks (AUS) – 1846, also known as ''The Iron Gelding'', won 30 of his 31 starts , carrying no less than nine stone (126 lbs) over the usual distances of two or three miles
** Galgo Jr (PR) – 1931
**Condado (PR) – 1938
*29
** Camarero (PR) – 1955
*28
**Chorisbar – 1940,1942
*27
** Condado (PR) – 1939
* 25
** Galgo Jr (PR) – 1935
* 23
** Fisherman (GB) – 1856; as a three-year-old, winning from 1/2 mile to 3 miles
** Bachiller (PR) – 1945
** Chorisbar – 1945, 1946
** Yaucono (PR) – 1942
* 22
** Luke Blackburn (USA) – 1880
** Fisherman (GB) – 1857
* 21
** Fisherman (GB)
** Picnic in the Park (AUS) from 23 starts including breaking down in final race
** Top Ace (AUS)
** Imp (USA) – 1898
** Galgo Jr (PR) – 1930
** Lilian (GB) – 1874
** Alice Hawthorn (GB) – 1844; won 20 races and one dead-heat
** Yaucono (PR) – 1938,1941,1943
* 20
** Hanover (USA) – 1887
* 19
** Bachiller (PR) – 1948
** Citation (USA) – 1948
** Cocoliso (PR) – 1944 in 20 starts;
** Camarero (PR) – 1954
** Roseben (USA) – 1905
** Rapid Redux (USA) – 2011Equibase: Rapid Redux
Retrieved 16 September 2011.
** Phar Lap (AUS)
** Vuelve Candy B. (PR) – 1993
** Galgo Jr (PR) – 1932
* 18
** Bo Judged (USA) – 1989
** Hindoo (USA) – 1881
** Clifford (USA) – 1893
** Camarero (PR) – 1953
** Galgo Jr (PR) – 1934
* 17
** Kincsem (HUN) – 1877
** Capa Prieto (PR) – 1982
** Yaucono (PR) – 1940
* 16
** A Shin Accelern (JPN) – 2008
** Bachiller (PR) – 1946
** Chorisbar – 1947
** Cocoliso (PR) – 1943
** Provideo (IRE) – 1984Provideo equalled a record
Retrieved 23 January 2011.
** Timeless Times
** Sweetmeat (GB) – 1845
** The Bard (GB) – 1883
** Princesa (PR) – 1973
** Wiso G (PR) – 1968
** Yaucono (PR) – 1944
* 15
** Alsab (USA) – 1941
** Beverley Park (USA) – 2022
** Condado (PR) – 1941
** Mainbrace (NZ)
** Old Rosebud (USA) – 1917
** Kingston (USA) – 1891
** Kincsem (HUN) – 1878
** Pan Zareta (USA) – 1913, 1915
** Round Table (USA) – 1957
** Vuelve Candy B. (PR) – 1991
** Taka O (JPN) – 1954
* 14
** Ajax (FR)
** Beverly Park (USA)
** Desert Gold (NZ)
** Phar Lap (NZ)
** Tulloch (NZ)
** Twilight Tear (USA) – 1944
** Billy Kelly (USA) – 1918
** Round Table (USA) – 1958
** Kingston (USA) – 1889
** Galgo Jr (PR) – 1933
** Golden Hare – 2007
* 13
** Bambera (VEN) – 2009
** Cheers Fancy (JPN) – 1993
** Chorisbar – 1939
** Cocoliso (PR) – 1942
** Fab's Cowboy (AUS) – 2016/17
** Firenze (USA) – 1888
** Gloaming (AUS)
** Grey Way (NZ)
** La Mistica (PR) – 2001
** Nagwa (GB) – 1975
** Spindrifter (FR) – 1980
** Uncle Remus
** El Manut (PAN) – 1978
** Whirlaway (USA) – 1941
** Hurley Road – 1981
** Buckpasser (USA) – 1966
** Ben Brush (USA) – 1895
** Kingston (USA) – 1887, 1892
** Music Express – 1990
** Tremont (USA) – 1886
** Henry of Navarre (USA) – 1894
** Vuelve Candy B. (PR) – 1992, 1994
** Pan Zareta (USA) – 1912, 1914, 1917
* 12
** Beldame (USA) – 1904
** Bricola (USA) – 2000
** Colin (USA) – 1907
** Cherokee Pepper (PR)
** Chorisbar – 1938
** Cocoliso (PR) – 1945, 1946
** Difficult Doll (USA) – 2000
** D' Wildcat Speed (USA) –2003
** Emperor of Norfolk (USA) – 1887
** Govenors Ego (USA) – 2000
** Firenze (USA) – 1888
** Kingston Town (AUS)
** Kincsem (HUN)
** La Policlinica (PR) – 2002
** La Prevoyante (USA) – 1972
** Surround (NZ)
** Mac Diarmida (USA) – 1978
** Mi Preferido (PR) – 2006
** Zev (USA) – 1923
** Coaltown (USA) – 1949
** Damascus (USA) – 1967
** Roamer (USA) – 1914
** Mister Frisky (USA) – 1989
** Parole (USA) – 1881
** Verset's Dancer (PR) – 1983
** Verset's Jet (PR) – 1995
** Whirlaway (USA) – 1942
** Old Rosebud (USA) – 1913
* 11
** Almendra (PR) – 1972
** Arriesgado (USA) – 2018
** A Shin Accelern (JPN) – 2009
** Call Me Mr. Vain (USA) – 2003
** Dusty's Lil Book (USA) – 2002
** Man o' War (USA) – 1920
** Armed (USA) – 1946, 1947
** Duke of Magenta (USA) – 1878
** Don Paco (PR) – 2011
** Don Piero (PR) – 2001
** Estrellero (PR) – 2001
** Mediavilla R (PR) – 2002
** Poseidon (AUS) – 1906/7
** Proud Miss
** Shotgun Pro – 2000
** Soba (GB) – 1982
** Tejano Couture – 2002
** Vindaloo (GB) – 1995
** Red Craze (NZ)
** Cicada (USA) – 1961
** Discovery (USA) – 1935
** Seabiscuit (USA) – 1937
** Bold Ruler (USA) – 1957
** Princess Doreen (USA) – 1925
** La Voyageuse (CAN) – 1980
** Botafogo (ARG) – 1917
* 10
** Armed (USA) – 1945
** Bernborough (AUS)
** Blow the Whistle (USA) – 2018
** Bo Judged (USA) – 1988
** Busher (USA) – 1945
** Cantchaco (USA) – 2017
** Carbine (NZ)
** Cigar (USA) – 1995
** Clifford (USA) – 1894
** Count Fleet (USA) – 1942
** Dojima Fighter (JPN) – 1998
** Diplomatical (USA) – 2003
** El Rebelde (PR) – 1966
** Exclusive Valley (PR) – 2002
** Equipoise (USA) – 1932
** Esplendorosa (PR) – 2018
** Exterminator (USA) – 1920, 1922
** Gamblin Time (USA) – 2002
** Hillsdale (USA) – 1959
** Hot Rodin (USA) – 2018
** Kindergarten (NZ)
** Kincsem (HUN) – 1876
** Kingston (USA) – 1888
** Lady Aloha (USA) – 2002
** Lady's Secret (USA) – 1985, 1986
** Man o' War (USA) – 1919
** Mended (USA) – 2017
** Miracle Man (JAM) – 2006
** Mi Preferido (PR) – 2007
** Miss Woodford (USA) – 1883
** Nashua (USA) – 1955
** Ormonde (GB)
** Persie (USA) – 2018
** Pikotazo (MEX) – 1980
** Purple Ruckus – 2002
** Rising Fast (NZ)
** Sarazen (USA) – 1923
** Sicótico ( DOM) – 2008
** Spectacular Bid (USA) – 1979
** Storming On Merit (USA) – 2003
** Trafalgar
** Tom Fool (USA) – 1953
** Tosmah (USA) – 1964
** Tuscalee (USA) – 1966
** Wizard (JPN) – 1953

Most group / grade one (G1) wins

To identify the highest quality races, the pattern race system was introduced in Europe in 1971, followed by the graded stakes system in North America in 1974. Other countries followed suit, though the criteria and quality has not always been consistent between racing jurisdictions. The following list considers horses that won grade one / group one races that were open for International competition. Winners of local (restricted) group / grade one wins are not included.

The horses with ten or more such G1 race wins are:
* 25 – Winx (AUS)‡
* 22 – Hurricane Fly (IRE)
* 16 – John Henry (USA), Kauto Star (FR)
* 15 – Black Caviar (AUS)‡
* 14 – Affirmed (USA), Forego (USA), Goldikova (IRE)‡, Kingston Town (AUS), Melody Belle (NZ)‡, Istabraq (IRE)
* 13 – Bayakoa (ARG)‡, Moscow Flyer (IRE), Spectacular Bid (USA), Sunline (NZ)‡, Tie the Knot (AUS), Zenyatta (USA)‡
* 12 – Honeysuckle‡
* 11 – Apple's Jade (FRA)‡, Beholder (USA)‡, Cigar (USA), Enable‡ (GB), Lady's Secret (USA)‡, Lonhro (AUS), Manikato (AUS), McDynamo (USA), Rough Habit (NZ), Serena's Song‡ (USA), Verry Elleegant (NZ) ‡, Wise Dan (USA), Azeri (USA)‡
* 10 – Altior (IRE), Beef or Salmon (IRE), Big Buck's (FRA), Brave Inca (IRE), Dahlia (USA)‡, Faugheen (IRE), Frankel (GB), Miesque (USA)‡, Paseana (ARG)‡, Octagonal (NZ), Mufhasa (NZ), Skip Away (USA), So You Think (NZ),

‡ Mare

In 1902 Sceptre became the only racehorse to win four British Classic Races outright. Previously, in 1868, Formosa won the same four races but dead-heated in the 2,000 Guineas Stakes.

Successive group / grade one (G1) wins

This list shows horses who won a series of Grade/Group 1 races without a loss and without an intervening race at a lower level of competition.
* 11 - Honeysuckle‡
* 10 – Winx‡
* 9 – Zenyatta‡, Frankel, Hurricane Fly
* 8 – Black Caviar‡
* 7 – Rock of Gibraltar, Sprinter Sacre, Miss Terrible (ARG)‡,
* 6 – Alpinista, Baaeed, Mill Reef, Invasor, Sea the Stars, Good Night Shirt, Sistercharlie‡
* 5 – Almond Eye (JPN)‡, American Pharoah, Affirmed, Cigar, Douvan, Dubai Millennium, Easy Goer, Enable‡, Go For Wand‡, Giant's Causeway, Gun Runner, McDynamo, Paseana Rachel Alexandra‡, Seattle Slew, Solow, Spectacular Bid, Skip Away, Stardom Bound‡, Wise Dan, St Mark’s Basilica

‡ Mare

Successive Stakes wins

* 33 – Winx‡
* 23 – Black Caviar‡
* 17 – Zenyatta‡
*16 – El Manut (PAN)
* 15 – Citation, Man o War
* 13 – Cigar, Colin, Tremont
* 12 – Brigadier Gerard, Spectacular Bid, Frankel
* 11 – Enable‡, Kingston Town, Ormonde, Pink Lloyd, Tom Fool, Va Bank
* 10 – Star Guitar, Songbird‡, Stradivarius, Sysonby

‡ = Filly or mare

Once-defeated horses

Below is a list of Thoroughbred racehorses who were defeated once. The list is not comprehensive for otherwise unnotable horses with fewer than ten wins.

Horses such as Wheel of Fortune, Barbaro, Ruffian and Vanity (1812, either 10:9-0-0 or 12:11-0-0) sustained injury or broke down in their only defeat.

$10 million prizewinning horses

The following horses have earned over $10 million in prize money. Most of them raced (at least in part) in Japan, Hong Kong, Australia and/or Dubai due to large purse sizes. Where applicable, the conversion to US$ was made at the time the horse raced so does not reflect current exchange rates. Different methodologies for currency conversions may result in slightly different rankings.
* Orfevre (Japan) 1,576,213,000 yen (US$19,005,276)
* Winx (AUS) A$26,421,176 (US$18,943,757)
* Gentildonna (Japan) JPY 1,326,210,000 (US$18,468,392)
*Almond Eye (JPN) 1,915,263,900 yen (US$$17,608,586)
* Arrogate (USA) US$17,422,600
* Buena Vista (Japan) JPY 1,478,869,700 (US$17,018,548)
* Kitasan Black 1,876,843,000 JPN yen, (US$16,572,523)
* Thunder Snow (Ireland) US$16,391,476
* T M Opera O (Japan) JPY 1,835,189,000 (US$16,200,337)
* Gun Runner (USA) US$15,988,500
*Mishriff (IRE) £11,090,523 (US$15,252,796)
* Gold Ship (Japan) 1,397,767,000 yen (US$15,040,217)
* California Chrome (USA) US$14,752,650
* Enable (GB) £10,692,563 (US$14,020,645)
* Vodka 1,333,565,800 JPY (US$13,147,826)
* Nature Strip (AUS) A$17,949,785 (US$13,037,866)
* Victoire Pisa 1,465,416,058.53 yen, US$12,891,734
* Deep Impact (Japan) 1,454,551,000 yen (US$12,825,285)
* Redzel (AUS) A$16,444,000 (US$12,385,620)
* Narita Brian (Japan) 1,026,916,000 yen (US$12,026,101)
* Maximum Security (USA) US$11,891,900
* Symboli Kris S (USA) 984,724,000 JPY (US$11,531,995)
* Smart Falcon (JPN) (US$11,470,635)
* Espoir City (JPN) (US$11,443,812)
*Vermilion (Japan) 1,168,607,500 yen (US$11,139,125)
* Lys Gracieux (JPN) US$11,023,327
* Country Grammer (USA) (US$10,837,320)
* Beauty Generation HK$84,760,000 (US$10,806,476)
* Makybe Diva (GB) A$14,526,685 (US$10,767,186). Raced in Australia.
* Hokko Tarumae (JPN) (US$10,703,689)
*Curlin (USA) US$10,501,800
* Verry Elleegant (NZ) A$14,090,744 (US$10,495,156)
* Viva Pataca (GB) HKD$81,297,500 (US$10,438,864.83)
* Highland Reel (IRE) £7,513,355 (US$10,057,377.00)
Most of the above horses belong to the Nearco sireline, mostly through the branches established by Sunday Silence and Northern Dancer. However, Curlin, Arrogate, Winx and Gun Runner descend instead from the Native Dancer sire line through Mr. Prospector. Both Nearco and Native Dancer were grandsons of Phalaris.

North American records

In 1951, Citation became the first horse to win one million dollars. In 1979, Affirmed became the first horse to break the two million dollar barrier, finishing his career with earnings of $2.3 million. Spectacular Bid broke this record in 1980, amassing career earnings of $2.8 million. Purses began to increase sharply soon afterwards thanks in large part to the Breeders' Cup. The next record holders were John Henry, who earned $6.6 million by the end of his career in 1984 and Alysheba, with earnings of $6.7 million by the end of his career in 1988. Cigar was the next to hold the North American earnings title, finishing his career in 1998 with earnings just shy of $10 million ($9,999,815). That remained the North American record until Curlin in 2008, who earned $10.5 million. California Chrome broke this record in 2016 with career earnings of $14.8 million, and was in turn surpassed by Arrogate when he won the 2017 Dubai World Cup to take his career earnings over $17 million.

See also

* List of historical horses
* Miller's Guide
* Repeat winners of horse races
* Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing

References

External links

Timeform

International Federation of Horseracing Authorities

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leading Thoroughbred Racehorses
Horse racing-related lists
Horse, Thoroughbred
Horses