Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes winner American Pharoah who became America’s 12th Triple Crown winner after breaking a thirty-seven year draught since 1978 on June 6 at Belmont Park remains the unanimous leader of his division and for all horses of all ages in the latest NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll, results of which were released today. The Pioneerof the Nile colt received all 46 first-place votes for 460 points.
With action-packed stakes races across America celebrating our country’s Independence Day this past weekend The NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll brings back two horses into the fold. The three-year-old filly Lady Eli takes the fifth slot after her powerful run in the G.I Belmont Oaks Invitational with 189 points for trainer Chad Brown and Sheep Pond Partners while Private Zone, winner of the G. III Belmont Sprint Championship Stakes moves in eighth with 93 points for trainer Jorge Navarro and his owners Good Friends Stable.
The rest of the top-ten showed very little movement with the exception of Main Sequence dropping off after being defeated Sunday in the G. I United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park, N.J. Eclipse Award champion Shared Belief remains in second with (357) points followed by Honor Code (346), 2014 Horse of the Year champ California Chrome (291), Noble Bird (135), Eclipse champion Beholder (96) Lea (71) and Tonalist (64).
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 Top Thoroughbred Poll is conducted weekly through the Monday, November 2 following the Breeders’ Cup World Championships which will be held at Keeneland Race Course, Lexington, Ky., October 29 and 30.
The NTRA Top 3-Year-Old Poll concluded after the Belmont Stakes.
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- American Pharoah
- Shared Belief
- Honor Code
- California Chrome
- Lady Eli
- Noble Bird
- Beholder
- Private Zone
- Lea
- Tonalist
Note: The Racing Biz writers Nick Hahn and Frank Vespe are voters in this poll.
