American Pharoah: history awaits. Photo by Laurie Asseo.
Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes winner American Pharoah who became America’s 12th Triple Crown winner after breaking a thirty-seven year drought since 1978, is the unanimous leader of his division in the latest and final NTRA Top 3-Year-Old Poll, results of which were released today. The Pioneerof the Nile colt, a winner of seven career starts in a row dating to September, received all 46 first-place votes for 460 points.
Kiaran McLaughlin trainee Frosted (389 points) who finished second and beaten by 5 ½ lengths to American Pharoah in the Belmont Stakes, moved into the second slot , while Dortmund (349) who sat out the Belmont moved down a notch to third. Kentucky Derby runner-up Firing Line (288) who also did not contest the Belmont Stakes remains in fourth while Carpe Diem (146) who scratched out of the Belmont earlier in the week moved into the fifth slot with Keen Ice (141), who finished third in the Belmont Stakes rallied into the sixth slot from sixteenth last week.
The top 10 was rounded out by Kentucky Oaks winner and highest-ranked filly Lovely Maria (141), Lady Eli (86), International Star (84) and Materiality (74).
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, for the first time American Pharoah moved from second to first with 45 first-place votes and 450 points overall. Previous leader Shared Belief moved down a notch to second-place with 1 first-place vote and 361 total points. California Chrome, the 2014 Horse of the Year, unchanged and holds onto third with 327 points.
New to the top-ten is Honor Code, (324) after his smashing win in the G. 1 Metropolitan Handicap for trainer Shug McGaughey.
The rest of the top 10: Main Sequence (198 points), Tonalist (176), Constitution (121), Lea (94), Wedding Toast (63), and Private Zone (42.
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
- American Pharoah
- Shared Belief
- California Chrome
- Honor Code
- Main Sequence
- Tonalist
- Constitution
- Lea
- Wedding Toast
- Private Zone[/column]
NTRA TOP 3-YEAR-OLD POLL
- American Pharoah
- Frosted
- Dortmund
- Firing Line
- Carpe Diem
- Keen Ice
- Lovely Maria
- Lady Eli
- International Star
- Materiality[/column]
Note: The Racing Biz writers Nick Hahn and Frank Vespe are voters in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll.
