Storming Inti (three-year-old) and Real Solution (older horse) remained atop the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll this week. But the competition is breathing down their necks.
For Storming Inti, his bridesmaid-itis is beginning to give voters pause. He most recently ran third in the ungraded Sir Cat Stakes at Saratoga — the fourth time this year he ran second or third in a stake.
The Pennsylvania-bred remained atop the list, but that might not have been the case, except for a scheduling oddity. Maryland-bred Daring Dancer won the Grade 2 Lake George at Saratoga on Wednesday — after some voters had already registered their selections. As a result, the filly, a daughter of Empire Maker out of Vienna Affair, by Red Ransom, received five first-place votes — more than any other horse in a widely spread vote — but not votes for any other position.
Daring Dancer, a Sagamore Farm homebred trained by Graham Motion, has won four of five career starts, including a pair of graded events.
Fourteen three year-olds received at least one vote. Storming Inti has held the top spot since the May 9 poll, but the son of Stormy Atlantic has just a single win from six starts in 2014.
Among older horses, Grade 1 Manhattan winner Real Solution, another Pennsylvania-bred, retained the top spot — by the narrowest of margins.
The big mover on the list was Maryland-bred Ben’s Cat, whose from-the-clouds victory in the Grade 3 Parx Dash vaulted him up the list, nearly to the top spot. Real Solution took down seven first-place votes and held a 43-41 edge over Ben’s Cat in points. Real Solution has held the top spot since the June 20 poll.
Pennsylvania-bred Princess of Sylmar, second in the prior poll, slipped to third after running second, at odds-on, in the Grade 1 Delaware Handicap.
Six of the 10 listed horses, including both poll-toppers, were bred in Pennsylvania. Three were bred in Maryland, while one was bred in West Virginia. Six were males, and four were females.
This marked the ninth semi-monthly edition of the poll.
Horses that have run in 2014 and were bred in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, and the Carolinas were eligible.
Real Solution wins the Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap. Photo by Courtney Heeney/NYRA.
POLL LEADERS IN ACTION THIS WEEKEND
- None.
POLL RESULTS
TOP MIDLANTIC-BRED THREE YEAR-OLDS
- Storming Inti (41) — Pennsylvania
- Daring Dancer (25) — Maryland
- Giovanni Boldini (23) — West Virginia
- Miss Behaviour (15) — Pennsylvania
- Favorite Tale (13) — Pennsylvania
Others receiving votes: Thank You Marylou, Joint Custody, Just Call Kenny, Noble Moon, Supermonic, On the Backstreets, Long on Value, Steady N Love, Gracer
TOP MIDLANTIC-BRED FOUR YEARS OLD AND UP
- Real Solution (43) — Pennsylvania
- Ben’s Cat (41) — Maryland
- Princess of Sylmar (36) — Pennsylvania
- Delaunay (20) — Maryland
- Waterway Run (8) — Pennsylvania
Others receiving votes: Blueskiesnrainbows, Awesome Flower, Purely Hot, Bold Curlin, Darwin, Emotional Kitten, Falling Sky
Participating Voters: Ted Black (freelance writer), Michael Campbell (Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association of New Jersey), Cindy Deubler (Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred), Linda Dougherty (freelance), Debbie Easter (Virginia Thoroughbred Association), Anne Frederick (Maryland Horse Breeders Association), Cricket Goodall (Maryland Horse Breeders Association), Jim Hague (freelance), Nick Hahn (freelance), Jeff Nations (freelance), Kate Painter (West Virginia Thoroughbred Breeders Association), Vinnie Perrone (freelance), Frank Petramalo (Virginia Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association), David Richardson (Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association), John Scheinman (freelance), Dan Tordjman (freelance), Frank Vespe (The Racing Biz), Bill Watson (freelance), Lydia Williams (freelance), Bobby Zen (freelance).
Note — Not all participating voters will vote in every poll.
(Featured image, of Real Solution, by Dave Alcosser/NYRA.)
Storming Inti has won a 100k listed race and after that been consistently beaten by the best colts in his division. At least Daring Dancer, and to a lesser extent Miss Behaviour, appear to be major players in their respective divisions.
No disagreement — I suspect DD will take the top spot next vote, when everyone who votes will have had a chance to consider their respective records. SI got a lot of love from the voters when he ran 2nd in a G2 at Churchill (and he ran great that day), but he’s been just OK since.