World Approval (USA)
February 23, 2012 – Living
Northern Afleet (USA) x Win Approval (USA), by With Approval (CAN)
Family 7
February 23, 2012 – Living
Northern Afleet (USA) x Win Approval (USA), by With Approval (CAN)
Family 7
Like his half brothers Miesque’s Approval, Revved Up, and Za Approval, World Approval was slow to reach his best form but became a high-class racer on turf as he matured. After his championship season in 2017, he was never quite able to regain his previous form and was officially retired in 2019 after a long rest failed to have the desired results.
Race record
27 starts, 12 wins, 2 seconds, 4 thirds, US$3,062,363
2015:
2016:
2017:
2018:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds on the 2016 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings in the Long category for his performances in the 2016 United Nations Handicap and Northern Dancer Turf Stakes, 19 pounds below the overall highweight, American champion 3-year-old male Arrogate (who earned his rating in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, USA-G1), and 17 pounds below the top turf performer, Australian Horse of the Year Winx (who earned her rating in the William Hill Cox Plate, AUS-G1).
Rated at 123 pounds on the 2017 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings in the Mile category, 11 pounds below overall highweight Arrogate (who earned ratings of 134 pounds in the Internediate category and 131 pounds in the Mile category) and 9 pounds below Australian Horse of the Year Winx, who had the best rating among all turf runners with 132 pounds in the Mile category. World Approval’s rating topped all American turf runners.
As an individual
A good-sized, attractive gray gelding, World Approval has an uncertain disposition but was a game competitor on the race course. A rather one-paced horse, he preferred having a target to run at rather than setting the pace himself. He did not like deep or overly soft going.
Connections
Foaled in Florida, World Approval was bred by Charlotte Weber’s Live Oak Stud and raced in her Live Oak Plantation silks. He was trained by Christophe Clement for his first two starts at 2 and by Mark Casse afterward. He was ridden by John Velazquez to win the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Mile. Following his racing career, he was pensioned at his birthplace.
Pedigree notes
World Approval is inbred 4x5 to 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male Northern Dancer, a great international sire. He is also inbred 5x5 to 1952 American Horse of the Year Tom Fool. He is a half brother to 2006 American champion turf male Miesque’s Approval (by Miesque’s Son), 2005 Niagara Breeders’ Cup Handicap (CAN-G2) winner Revved Up (by Sultry Song), and multiple Grade 3 winner Za Approval (by Ghostzapper). He is also a half brother to Winning Doe (by Running Stag), dam of Grade 3-placed restricted stakes winner We Deer You (by Hat Trick).
World Approval and his siblings are out of Win Approval, who was the Thoroughbred Owners’ and Breeders’ Association’s 2017 Broodmare of the Year. She is a half sister to Pleasure Point (by Honest Pleasure), dam of listed stakes winners Forry Cow How (by Horatius) and Original Gray (by Smarten).
Win Approval was produced from Grade 1-placed Negotiator, a half sister to Grade 3 winner Duveen (by Arts and Letters). Negotiator is also a half sister to Wry Swiss (by Droll Role), dam of Grade 3-placed restricted stakes winner Chocolate Swiss (by Magesterial). The siblings are out of the Argentine import Geneva II (by Gulf-Weed, by Gulf Stream), winner of the 1963 Premio Saturnino J. Unzue and Premio Carlos Casares.
Books and media
Footage of World Approval’s victory in the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Mile can be accessed through the Breeders’ Cup Hall of Champions (https://www.breederscup.com/history-tradition/hall-champions/world-approval-0).
Fun facts
Last updated: July 10, 2024
Race record
27 starts, 12 wins, 2 seconds, 4 thirds, US$3,062,363
2015:
- Won Saranac Stakes (USA-G3, 9FT, Saratoga)
- Won American Derby (USA-G3, 9FT, Arlington Park)
- Won Sophomore Turf Stakes (USA-R, 8.5FT, Tampa Bay Downs)
- 3rd American Turf Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FT, Churchill Downs)
2016:
- Won United Nations Handicap (USA-G1, 11FT, Monmouth)
- 2nd Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes (USA-G1. 9FT, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Mervyn H. Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap (USA-G2, 9FT, Fair Grounds)
- 3rd Knob Hill Manhattan Stakes (USA-G1, 10FT, Belmont)
- 3rd Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (CAN-G1, Woodbine)
2017:
- Won Breeders' Cup Mile (USA-G1, 8FT, Del Mar)
- Won Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes (CAN-G1, 8FT, Woodbine)
- Won Fourstardave Handicap (USA-G1, 8FT, Saratoga)
- Won Longines Dixie Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FT, Pimlico)
- Won EG Vodka Turf Classic Stakes (USA-R, 9FT, Tampa Bay Downs)
2018:
- Won Tampa Bay Stakes (USA-G3, 8.5FT, Tampa Bay Downs)
Honors
- Eclipse Award, American champion turf male (2017)
- Florida-bred Horse of the Year (2017)
- Florida-bred champion older male (2016, 2017)
- Florida-bred champion turf male (2015-2017)
- Florida-bred champion male sprinter (2017)
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds on the 2016 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings in the Long category for his performances in the 2016 United Nations Handicap and Northern Dancer Turf Stakes, 19 pounds below the overall highweight, American champion 3-year-old male Arrogate (who earned his rating in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, USA-G1), and 17 pounds below the top turf performer, Australian Horse of the Year Winx (who earned her rating in the William Hill Cox Plate, AUS-G1).
Rated at 123 pounds on the 2017 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings in the Mile category, 11 pounds below overall highweight Arrogate (who earned ratings of 134 pounds in the Internediate category and 131 pounds in the Mile category) and 9 pounds below Australian Horse of the Year Winx, who had the best rating among all turf runners with 132 pounds in the Mile category. World Approval’s rating topped all American turf runners.
As an individual
A good-sized, attractive gray gelding, World Approval has an uncertain disposition but was a game competitor on the race course. A rather one-paced horse, he preferred having a target to run at rather than setting the pace himself. He did not like deep or overly soft going.
Connections
Foaled in Florida, World Approval was bred by Charlotte Weber’s Live Oak Stud and raced in her Live Oak Plantation silks. He was trained by Christophe Clement for his first two starts at 2 and by Mark Casse afterward. He was ridden by John Velazquez to win the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Mile. Following his racing career, he was pensioned at his birthplace.
Pedigree notes
World Approval is inbred 4x5 to 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male Northern Dancer, a great international sire. He is also inbred 5x5 to 1952 American Horse of the Year Tom Fool. He is a half brother to 2006 American champion turf male Miesque’s Approval (by Miesque’s Son), 2005 Niagara Breeders’ Cup Handicap (CAN-G2) winner Revved Up (by Sultry Song), and multiple Grade 3 winner Za Approval (by Ghostzapper). He is also a half brother to Winning Doe (by Running Stag), dam of Grade 3-placed restricted stakes winner We Deer You (by Hat Trick).
World Approval and his siblings are out of Win Approval, who was the Thoroughbred Owners’ and Breeders’ Association’s 2017 Broodmare of the Year. She is a half sister to Pleasure Point (by Honest Pleasure), dam of listed stakes winners Forry Cow How (by Horatius) and Original Gray (by Smarten).
Win Approval was produced from Grade 1-placed Negotiator, a half sister to Grade 3 winner Duveen (by Arts and Letters). Negotiator is also a half sister to Wry Swiss (by Droll Role), dam of Grade 3-placed restricted stakes winner Chocolate Swiss (by Magesterial). The siblings are out of the Argentine import Geneva II (by Gulf-Weed, by Gulf Stream), winner of the 1963 Premio Saturnino J. Unzue and Premio Carlos Casares.
Books and media
Footage of World Approval’s victory in the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Mile can be accessed through the Breeders’ Cup Hall of Champions (https://www.breederscup.com/history-tradition/hall-champions/world-approval-0).
Fun facts
- World Approval’s 2017 win in the Breeders’ Cup Mile made Win Approval the fourth mare to produce two Breeders’ Cup winners, following the victory of his half brother Miesque’s Approval in the 2006 Mile. The other mares with two Breeders’ Cup winners to their credit are Primal Force (Awesome Again, 1998 Classic, and Macho Uno, 2000 Juvenile), Hasili (Banks Hill, 2001 Filly and Mare Turf, and Intercontentinal, 2005 Filly and Mare Turf), and Sweet Life (Sweet Catomine, 2004 Juvenile Fillies, and Life Is Sweet, 2009 Ladies’ Classic).
- World Approval’s Eclipse Award season helped lift Live Oak Stud and Live Oak Plantation to titles as 2017 Florida Breeder of the Year and 2017 Florida Owner of the Year, respectively; he had previously been responsible for helping Live Oak Plantation to a 2016 title as Florida Owner of the Year.
Last updated: July 10, 2024