After playing second fiddle to Frankel for the previous two years, Black Caviar has topped the rankings for the world's best racehorse for 2013 released in Paris on Thursday.
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She shared the billing with unbeaten French filly Treve, which won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, on a rating of 130.
However, Australia's unbeaten sprint superstar returned the same rating twice, in her track record-breaking run in the Lightning Stakes and in her 25th and final start, in the T. J. Smith Stakes at Randwick.
"The rankings confirm Black Caviar's position as the greatest sprinter and the greatest female equine athlete world racing has seen in the modern era," Australia's WBRR committee member, Greg Carpenter, said. "In all, 51 Australian-trained horses were included in the listings and this is a great result for Australian racing and continues to show the high regard in which Australian racing is held worldwide.
"Black Caviar becomes the first horse trained in the southern hemisphere and the first sprinter to head the listings, which is a terrific reflection of the manner in which her racing career was managed."
Japanese star Orfevre and US horse of the year Wise Dan shared third place in the rankings, on 129. The German-trained colt Novellist and Japanese sprint sensation Lord Kanaloa rated 128.
That the best three-year-olds in Australia were part of a vintage crop was reflected as Pierro led all sprinters in that age group with his 122 rating from March's Canterbury Stakes at Rosehill, which was run at group 1 level for the first time.
All Too Hard also got to the 122 figure in the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield, which falls in the mile category, as did Atlantic Jewel for her efforts in the Memsie Stakes and Caulfield Stakes.
The loss of talent in Australian racing was further shown by Reliable Man getting the 122 rating for his win in last year's Queen Elizabeth Stakes. The former French galloper has joined Pierro, All Too Hard and Atlantic Jewel in retirement. Another three-year-old, It's A Dundeel, peaked at a 121 rating in the Rosehill Guineas and Australian Derby, while Epaulette ran to 120 when runner-up to Black Caviar in the TJ Smith and repeated the figure to win the Doomben 10,000.
