American Pharoah: history awaits. Photo by Laurie Asseo.
As the racing nation awaits American Pharoah’s bid for history June 6 at Belmont Park, there was no change at all in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s top three-year-old poll and precious little in its Top Thoroughbred Poll, which also includes older horses.
American Pharoah remained comfortably atop the poll of sophomores, receiving all 34 first-place votes. He also received the largest share of first-place votes in the Top Thoroughbred Poll, securing 17 of 34, though overall he finished behind Shared Belief in that poll.
American Pharoah was followed in the top three-year-old register by Kentucky Derby show horse Dortmund, Derby fourth-place finisher Frosted, and Derby runner-up Firing Line. The Preakness place and show horses — Tale of Verve and DIvining Rod, respectively — were ninth and 10th in the poll.
Three different horses received first-place votes in the Top Thoroughbred Poll, with California Chrome, who finished third, joining American Pharoah and Shared Belief.
American Pharaoah was the only three-year-old on the Top Thoroughbred list. Two females made the lists, four-year-old Untapable making the Top Thoroughbred list (in ninth place) and Kentucky Oaks winner Lovely Maria checking in seventh among three-year-olds.
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
- Shared Belief
- American Pharoah
- California Chrome
- Main Sequence
- Tonalist
- Constitution
- Finnegan’s Wake
- Lea
- Untapable
- Moreno[/column]
NTRA TOP 3-YEAR-OLD POLL
- American Pharoah
- Dortmund
- Frosted
- Firing Line
- Materiality
- Carpe Diem
- Lovely Maria
- Competitive Edge
- Tale of Verve
- Divining Rod[/column]
Note: The Racing Biz writers Nick Hahn and Frank Vespe are voters in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll.
