IN A NUTSHELL: Fresh off .. well, nothing, really… Shared Belief regained the lead in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s Top Thoroughbred Poll, released yesterday.
WALLY PIPP WOULD UNDERSTAND: Wise Dan will not participate in the Breeders’ Cup because of an injury, and that was the apparent impetus for voters to elevate Shared Belief, second a week ago, to the top spot. Shared Belief is expected to post, in the Classic.
THREE FOR THE SHOW: Tonalist and California Chrome took the three legs of the Triple Crown, with Chrome getting the Kentucky Derby and Preakness and Tonalist scoring in the Belmont. They also split the three first-place votes not awarded to either Shared Belief or Wise Dan; once again, Chrome took two of the three, although Tonalist actually rated higher.
DEJA VU: For the second straight week, the only change in the poll was the top two horses swapping positions.
AGE AND SEX: The list includes five three-year-olds (Shared Belief, California Chrome, Bayern, Untapable, and Tonalist) and three females (Beholder, Close Hatches, and Untapable).
NTRA TOP THOROUGHBRED POLL
- Shared Belief
- Wise Dan
- Tonalist
- California Chrome
- Main Sequence
- Bayern
- Untapable
- Close Hatches
- Beholder
- Palace Malice
Note: The Racing Biz writers Nick Hahn and Frank Vespe are voters in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll.
