Real Solution maintained a slight lead in the latest Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll, the second-to-last vote of 2014.
Only one horse was a newcomer to the poll. Virginia-bred Thank You Marylou earned 9 points to grab seventh-place on the poll. Both Thank You Marylou and poll leader Real Solution are owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey.
Thank You Marylou grabbed the poll’s final spot by virtue of her solid third-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at the beginning of the month. It was her second Grade 1 placing of the season, to go along with a Grade 2 placing and a Grade 3 victory, in the Dogwood Stakes at Churchill Downs. Overall, she two of eight starts this season with three third-place finishes. She has earned $317,257 this season, boosting her career earnings over $400,000.
Thank You Marylou is a daughter of Birdstone out of the stake-winning Menifee mare Menifeeque. She was bred in Virginia by Mr. & Mrs. C.W. McNeely III; the Ramseys named her to honor racing grande dame Marylou Whitney for assistance she provided after Sarah Ramsey’s stroke.
Princess of Sylmar dropped out of the poll, which was otherwise unchanged, although Valid did move up one spot.
The list of seven runners includes three horses bred in Pennsylvania, two bred in Maryland, and two bred in Virginia. Five males and two females are among the top seven; four are three-year-olds.
This marked the fifteenth 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.
POLL LEADERS IN ACTION THIS WEEKEND
- Valid — G3 Tropical Turf Handicap, Saturday, Gulfstream Park West, 9-5 (main track only)
POLL RESULTS
Miss Behaviour takes the Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks. Photo by Jeff Brammer.
TOP MIDLANTIC-BRED HORSES
- Real Solution (41) — Pennsylvania
- Miss Behaviour (36) — Pennsylvania
- The Big Beast (29) — Maryland
- Ben’s Cat (19) — Maryland
- Favorite Tale (15) — Pennsylvania
- Valid (11) — Virginia
- Thank You Marylou (9) — Virginia
Others receiving votes: Long on Value, Princess of Sylmar, Dame Dorothy, Daring Dancer, Giovanni Boldini, Down Town Allen, Page McKenney, Delaunay
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 Miss Behaviour, by Jeff Brammer.)
