World Approval (foaled February 23, 2012) is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 2017 Breeders' Cup Mile.
At age five, he won five of six starts including the Grade I Fourstardave Handicap and Woodbine Mile before his victory at the Breeders' Cup.
World Approval was bred in Florida by Live Oak Stud, which is owned by Charlotte Weber, the granddaughter of Campbell Soup founder John T. Dorrance.
[3] World Approval was originally trained by Christophe Clement, but after two unsuccessful starts was transferred to the barn of Mark Casse.
[4] World Approval made two starts at age two, finishing fourth on October 16, 2014, at Belmont Park and third on November 26 at Aqueduct, both races over the main (dirt) track.
He started the year on March 5, 2016, in an allowance optional claiming race, where he set the early pace and then drew away in the stretch to win by 2+1⁄2 lengths.
He then finished second in the Muniz Memorial Handicap after racing near the back of the field in the early running and then being floated wide in the final turn.
He made his first start in Grade I company in the Turf Classic Stakes on May 7, losing by a neck to Divisidero after a determined closing drive.
In his first start at 1+3⁄8 miles, he received a "perfect trip" while rating behind the early pacesetter Cement Clement, then took command of the race entering the stretch.
[11] World Approval made his five-year-old debut on April 2 in the EG Vodka Turf Classic, a stakes race for Florida-bred horses run at a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles.
[13] On June 10, World Approval was entered in the Grade I Manhattan Handicap at a distance of 1+1⁄4 miles over Belmont Park's inner turf course.
"[18] On November 4, World Approval entered the Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar, going off as the slight 5-2 favorite on a day dominated by longshot winners.
He wore down the tiring front runners and drew off to win by 1+1⁄4 lengths, with Lancaster Bomber prevailing in a blanket finish for second place.
[19] World Approval raced three times in 2018, winning the Grade III Tampa Bay Stakes while unplaced in his other two starts.