Arrogate tops latest NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll

From a National Thoroughbred Racing Association release

The top ranked horses of all ages remains relatively quiet in week 21 of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top Thoroughbred Poll, released Monday.

With the three-year-old and all-horse polls combined for the first time, three-year-olds took a beating. Not a single sophomore is among the top 10 horses chosen by voters.

Arrogate (36 first-place votes; 360 points) remains the unanimous top choice. The leading earner in North American racing history is trained by Bob Baffert for owner Juddmonte Farm. The Dubai World Cup winner and Eclipse Award winner is in training with the possibility of making his first start in the TVG San Diego Handicap. (G2) on July 22 at Del Mar or the G1 $1million TVG Pacific Classic on August 19 at Del Mar Race Course.

Gun Runner (315) is the only horse who ran this past weekend in the top-ten. Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC and Three Chimneys Farm, Gun Runner won easily by a seven-length margin in the Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) at Churchill Downs. The Stephen Foster is a Breeders’ Cup “Win & You’re In Classic Division” event, which awards winners of its races an automatic berth in Breeders’ Cup Classic on November 4 at Del Mar, California. Trained by Steve Asumussen, the Hall of Famer is considering the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 5 for the son of Candy Ride’s next possible start.

Two-time Eclipse Award winner Songbird (261 ) remains in third after her first start of the year in the G1 Ogden Phipps “Win and You’re In Breeders’ Cup Distaff Division,” last Saturday at Belmont Park.

The top-ten in descending order are: Arrogate ( 36 first place votes; 360 points); Gun Runner (315); Songbird ( 261); Shaman Ghost (248); Mor Spirit (174); Stellar Wind (155); Lady Eli (95 ); Neolithic (62); Mind Your Biscuits (52 ); and Connect (40).

The NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll concludes November 6 after the running of the Breeders’ Cup.