EVERYBODY SAY…: In today’s first National Thoroughbred Racing Association Top Thoroughbred Poll of the year, the voters were unanimous and the answer is: Shared Belief is number one.

WE STILL LOVE YOU: Eclipse champion turf horse Main Sequence, based with Graham Motion at Fair Hill, still hasn’t lost in five North American tries, one this year.  He’s the second choice among older horses.

NUMBER ONE IN OUR HEARTS: California Chrome ran second to Shared Belief in his only start to date this year. Voters think so highly of the latter that they made the former number three in the older horse poll.  He’s the only horse who has raced but has not won to appear on the poll.

AT LEAST HE TRIED: While Chrome lost his only race so far, three others on the poll have yet to start.  Those three are Bayern, Untapable, and Wise Dan.

DORTMUND IS GERMAN FOR…: Really fast.  The three-year-old colt is the only sophomore to appear on the general Top Thoroughbred list, and he’s easily the leader among the sophomore set.

IMPRESSIVELY NOT RUNNING: American Pharoah was named champion two-year-old colt after winning two Grade 1 events as a juvenile, and though he has yet to start this season, he checks in at number four among three-year-olds — the only unraced sophomore on the list.

(NOT) WINNING…. DUH: Two three-year-olds that have raced but are winless appear in the top 10.  They are Firing Line and Texas Red, both second in their only starts to date.

[columns] [column width=”one-half”]

NTRA TOP THOROUGHBRED POLL

  1. Shared Belief
  2. Main Sequence
  3. California Chrome
  4. Constitution
  5. Honor Code
  6. Bayern
  7. Lea
  8. Dortmund
  9. Untapable
  10. Wise Dan[/column]
[column width=”one-half”]

NTRA TOP 3-YEAR-OLD POLL

  1. Dortmund
  2. Carpe Diem
  3. Upstart
  4. American Pharoah
  5. El Kabeir
  6. International Star
  7. Far From Over
  8. Itsaknockout
  9. Firing Line
  10. Texas Red[/column]
[/columns]

Note: The Racing Biz writers Nick Hahn and Frank Vespe are voters in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll.