Bolt d’Oro grabs top spot in NTRA 3-year-old poll

From a National Thoroughbred Racing Association release

The Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park this past Saturday resulted in an extensive shuffling on the top-ten ladder in week six of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top 3-Year-Old Poll, results of which were released today.

Eclipse Award-winning Champion Two-Year-Old Male Good Magic (1 first-place vote; 286 points), who held the top position for the first five weeks of the poll, drops down to fourth after finishing third in his first start of the year in the Fountain of Youth (G2). Trained by Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown for Stonestreet Stables LLC, the 2017 Sentient Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner came out of the race “a little tired,” according to his trainer, but remains on schedule to go in either the Wood Memorial or the Blue Grass S. on April 7.

Good Magic also is third on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard with 34 points. The 20 horses with the most points will earn a spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May.

Moving up the NTRA Poll from second to first position while sitting chilly in his stall is Bolt d’ Oro (31 first-place votes; 419 points). Trained and owned by Mick Ruis, Bolt d’Oro currently has 14 qualifying points and is ninth on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. The son of Medaglia d’ Oro is being pointed towards the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Also shifting position slightly in second, third, and fifth are McKinzie (10 first-place votes; 379 points), Audible (1 first-place vote; 296 points), and Solomini (1 first place vote; 229 points),respectively.

McKinzie and Solomini are both trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert. McKinzie, with 20 qualifying Derby points, sits sixth on the leaderboard and is slated to make his next start in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita this Saturday. Solomini is eleventh on the Derby leaderboard with 14 points.

Audible, trained by Todd Pletcher for owners WinStar Farm, China Horse Club and SF Racing Stable, has 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points and is 19th on the leaderboard. His next start could well come in the $1 million Xpressbet.com Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park March 31, where the qualifying points are worth 100-40-20-10 to the first four finishers.

New to the top 10, in sixth, is the upset winner of the Fountain of Youth Stakes, Promises Fulfilled (196), who earned 50 qualifying points for a total of 52 points and is second on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard for trainer Dale Romans and owner Robert Baron. Romans is pointing his Fountain of Youth winner to the Florida Derby.

Rounding out the top 10 is: Avery Island (134); Catholic Boy (104); Bravazo (101); and Flameaway (73).

The NTRA Top 3-Year-Old Poll is the sport’s most comprehensive survey of experts ranking the generation of Thoroughbreds that includes all Triple Crown contenders. Every week eligible journalists and broadcasters 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 3-Year-Old Poll concludes June 11 after the Belmont Stakes.

The NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll for horses four and up remains status quo as most of the top 10 are still gearing up for the 2018 season.

The Eclipse Award winner for Three-Year-Old Males West Coast (29 first-place votes; 441 points) retains first for trainer Bob Baffert and owners Gary and Mary West. In his most recent start the son of Flatter finished second to Gun Runner in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park. The $10 million Dubai World Cup Invitational at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates on March 31 is his next target, according to Baffert.

Champion Turf Eclipse Award winner World Approval (377) remains in second place for Mark Casse and owner Charlotte Weber of Live Oak Plantation.

Eclipse Award Champion Female Sprinter Unique Bella (2 first-place vote; 286 points) remains steady in third. She is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, and the Hall of Famer plans to enter the 4-year-old filly in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Invitational on March 17 at Santa Anita, a track the daughter of Tapit has excelled on.

Rounding out the top-ten are: Roy H (1 first-place vote; 271 points); Forever Unbridled (1 first-place vote; 244 votes); Gun Runner (13 first-place votes; 163 votes); Gunnevera (148); Abel Tasman (146); Sharp Azteca (109); and Beach Patrol (85).

The NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll concludes November 5 after the running of the Breeders’ Cup.