From a National Thoroughbred Racing Association release
American Pharoah, the likely Kentucky Derby favorite and last year’s Eclipse Award winner as Champion 2-Year-Old Male, remains the leader of his division in the latest NTRA Top 3-Year-Old Poll, results of which were released today. There was no movement from the previous week among the top 10 as the Kentucky Derby contenders have already run their final races prior the world’s most famous race this coming Saturday on May 2.
American Pharoah earned 22 first-place votes and 315 points overall, edging out his undefeated stablemate Dortmund, who tallied 9 first-place votes and 305 points. The top 10 was rounded out by Carpe Diem (1 first-place vote, 262 points), International Star (1, 175), Materiality (171), Frosted (166), Firing Line (125), Upstart (115), Far Right (50) and El Kabeir (42).
Eligible media cast votes for their top 10 horses, with points awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. The NTRA Top 3-Year-Old Poll is conducted weekly through the Monday following the Belmont Stakes.
In the concurrent NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll open to horses of all ages, Shared Belief held onto the top spot with 21 first-place votes and 283. California Chrome, the 2014 Horse of the Year, checked in second with seven first-place votes and 264 points. Others receiving first-place votes: Constitution (2) and American Pharoah (3).
American Pharoah and Dortmund, both trained by three-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert, remain the only 3-year-olds to have cracked the top 10 in the Top Thoroughbreds poll.
Scored following the same points system as the Top 3-Year-Old Poll, the Top Thoroughbred Poll is conducted weekly through the Monday following the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
[columns] [column width=”one-half”]NTRA TOP THOROUGHBRED POLL
- Shared Belief
- California Chrome
- Main Sequence
- Honor Code
- Constitution
- American Pharoah
- Dortmund
- Lea
- Moreno
- Untapable[/column]
NTRA TOP 3-YEAR-OLD POLL
- American Pharoah
- Dortmund
- Carpe Diem
- International Star
- Materiality
- Frosted
- Firing Line
- Upstart
- Far Right
- El Kabeir[/column]
Note: The Racing Biz writers Nick Hahn and Frank Vespe are voters in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll.