Global Rankings Weekly Awards: Renegade rules

Performances at Oaklawn and Meydan feature in the third instalment of our Global Rankings Weekly Awards.

In this third edition of the Global Rankings Weekly Awards, we’ll once again pick a competitor from each of five categories (Horse, Jockey, Trainer, Turf Sire and Dirt Sire) whose accomplishment during the last week particularly impressed us, before also announcing a runner-up.

Horse of the Week

Renegade (#18 from #888)

The Dubai World Cup fixture at Meydan featured some excellent winners, if not the strength in depth normally associated with that event.

Instead, perhaps the most significant performance of the week came in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn, in which Renegade put up performance we rate highly (TRC 121) and added a monster 668 points to his ranking index, moving up 870 places into the top 20.

This wasn’t down to this performance alone, but also to the upgrading to Grade 3 of his previous victory in the Sam F Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, after third-placed The Puma went on to finish a close second in the Grade 1 Florida Derby.

With due respect to the winner of that last-named race, the new #19 Commandment, Renegade is now our highest-ranked Kentucky Derby contender.

Runner-up:Magnitude (#8 from #33)

Jockey of the Week

Mickaël Barzalona (#10)

The Frenchman was at his cheeky best on Calandagan in the Group 1 Sheema Classic at Meydan, cajoling and coaxing the Francis Graffard-trained superstar to another Group 1, which looked a lot easier than the gelding made it for him.

The five-year-old didn’t need to be at his brilliant best and returned a TRC performance rating of just 122 compared with last year’s peak figures of 132, 130 and 130.

Barzalona clinched this award by adding victory on Fairy Glen in the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup.

Runner-up:Connor Beasley (#165 from #279)

Trainer of the Week

Ahmad bin Harmash (#217 from #420)

Emirati trainer Ahmad bin Harmash can certainly train sprinters alright.

What a performance. From four runners on the Dubai World Cup card, he sent out the winners of the two 1200m Group 1 races, the Al Quoz Sprint on turf with Native Approach and the Golden Shaheen on dirt with Dark Saffron.

The latter repeated his 2025 success.

Runner-up:Simon & Ed Crisford (#23 from #24)

Turf Sire of the Week

Lord Kanaloa (#18 from #23)

A world-class sprinter and Japanese Horse of the Year, Lord Kanaloa numbered the Grade 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen among his biggest wins in a stellar 2013 campaign.

How suitable that he should sire the 1,2 in the same race this year, with defending champion Satono Reve following up at the main expense of Red Mon Reve.

The race produced a Stakes record time of 1m 6.30s.

Runner-up:Shalaa (#94 from #168)

Dirt Sire of the Week

Into Mischief (#1)

As if to cement his status as our world #1 overall sire, Into Mischief produced a brilliant Grade 1 Derby trial double with Commandment in Florida and Renegade at Oaklawn, Arkansas.