Splendora, Dazzling Dame head Top Midlantic-bred Polls
Distaffers unanimous as top choices
The Biz
June 5, 2026
A pair of distaff runners are the unanimous top choices in the latest Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll.
Splendora, winner of last fall’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, has continued apace with three wins, including a Grade 1, from four 2026 starts and is the choice of voters as the top older horse bred in the region.
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And Dazzling Dame, most recently eighth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, received the nod as the top three-year-old. The Maryland-bred Girvin filly has a win, in the Busanda, and a second, in the Virginia Oaks, from three starts this year.
Bred in Maryland by The Elkstone Group LLC, Splendora is by Audible and trained by Bob Baffert for Boyd Racing and By Talla Racing LLC. She has eight wins and nearly $1.4 million banked in her career.
Among older horses, the remainder of the top five is Quint’s Brew, Cruise the Nile, Simply Joking, and Takethemoneyhoney. Takethemoneyhoney and Quint’s Brew were second and third, respectively, in the prior Top Midlantic-bred Poll.
Newcomers to the top five are Cruise the Nile and Simply Joking. Both placed in graded company in their most recent starts, Cruise the Nile having come in third in the Grade 3 Dinner Party at Laurel Park on Preakness day and Simply Joking having finished second in the Grade 2 Santa Margarita May 30.
Three-year-old filly Dazzling Dame was bred in Maryland by Maria M. Haire and is trained by Brittany Russell for Respect the Valleys, LLC, Medallion Racing and Madaket Stables, LLC. She has four wins and over $300,000 in earnings from seven lifetime starts.
The rest of the top five 3-year-olds is Shane’s Wonder, Big Cuddle, Let’s Go Lando, and Ryan’s Run. Let’s Go Lando was second in the initial Top Midlantic-bred Poll.
Shane’s Wonder ran second in the Chick Lang Stakes at Laurel, while Big Cuddle won the Sir Barton there, both on Preakness day. Ryan’s Run most recently won the Coin Collector at Charles Town Races May 9.
TOP OLDER HORSES
| Rank | Horse Info | Most recent start |
| 1 | Splendora (MD), 5M by Audible-Miss Freeze, by Frost Giant; bred by The Elkstone Group LLC and trained by Bob Baffert for Boyd Racing and By Talla Racing LLC. 2026 highlights: Won G1 Beholder Mile, G2 Shawnee S., G2 D. Wayne Lukas S. | Won G2 Shawnee S. |
| 2 | Quint’s Brew (MD), 5G by Mosler-Gansett, by Jump Start; bred by Paul W. Berube, Karen Linnell & Spinnaker Hill Farm and trained by Ned Allard for Paul W. Berube, Karen Linnell & Heather Hunter. 2026 highlights: Won Frank Whiteley S., Jennings S., Not for Love S. | 4th G3 Westchester S. |
| 3 | Cruise the Nile (NJ), 4G by Cairo Prince-Party Boat, by Into Mischief; bred by Hope H. Jones and trained by Graham Motion for Hope H. Jones. 2026 highlights: Won Henry S. Clark S., 3rd G3 Dinner Party | 3rd G3 Dinner Party |
| 4 | Simply Joking (PA), 4F by Practical Joke-Imply, by E Dubai; bred by Barlar, LLC and trained by Michael McCarthy for Berkels0813 LLC, CMNWLTH, LLC, Grantley Acres and Ryan Conner. 2026 highlights: Won G3 Santa Maria, 2nd G2 Santa Margarita S. | 2nd G2 Santa Margarita S. |
| 5 | Takethemoneyhoney (MD), 5M by Golden Lad-Goodonehoney, by Great Notion; bred by Kasey K Racing Stable, Michael Day and Final Turn Racing Stable and trained by Michael Moore for Kasey K Racing Stable, Michael Day and Final Turn Racing Stable. 2026 highlights: Won Geisha S., Conniver S., 2nd Barbara Fritchie S. | Won Conniver S. |
| Also receiving votes | Book’em Danno, Seismic Beauty, Mr. Fine Threads, Blue Kingdom, Overnight Pow Wow, Master Seville, Maclean’s Rook |
TOP 3-YEAR-OLDS
| Rank | Horse Info | Most recent start |
| 1 | Dazzling Dame (MD), 3F by Girvin-Awesome Dama, by Corinthian; bred by Maria M. Haire and trained by Brittany Russell for Respect the Valleys, LLC, Medallion Racing and Madaket Stables, LLC . 2026 highlights: Won Busanda S., 2nd Virginia Oaks | 8th G1 Kentucky Oaks |
| 2 | Shane’s Wonder (PA), 3G by Eastwood-One Fast Chick, by First Defence; bred by Uptowncharlybrown Stud LLC and trained by Alfredo Velazquez for Uptowncharlybrown Stud LLC. 2026 highlights: Won Wait For It S., 2nd Chick Lang S. | 2nd Chick Lang S. |
| 3 | Big Cuddle (MD), 3C by Great Notion-Frechette, by El Padrino; bred by Two Legends Farm and trained by Gary Capuano for Pocket 3’s Racing LLC. 2026 highlights: Won Sir Barton S. | Won Sir Barton S. |
| 4 | Let’s Go Lando (MD), 3G by Game Winner-Steady N Love, by Not for Love; bred by ZWP Stable & Non Stop Stable and trained by Gary Capuano for Eagle Up Stables, London Reid Thoroughbreds and Non Stop Stable. 2026 highlights: 2nd Miracle Wood S., 3rd Private Terms S. | 4th Sir Barton S. |
| 5 | Ryan’s Run (WV), 3G by Runhappy-Saturday Nthe Park, by Any Given Saturday; bred by Coleswood Farm, Inc. and trained by Jeff Runco for Coleswood Farm, Inc.. 2026 highlights: Won Coin Collector S. | Won Coin Collector S. |
| Also receiving votes | Secured Freedom, Close the Gate, The Big Lep |
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The monthly Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred is the only publication devoted to Thoroughbred breeding and racing in the Mid-Atlantic region. The Racing Biz, an online publication, is the independent voice for mid-Atlantic racing and breeding.
The poll is conducted of media members and others involved in the Thoroughbred industry and restricted to horses that have run in 2026 and were bred in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, New Jersey, Delaware, and the Carolinas.
Participating Voters: Ted Black (freelance writer), Michael Campbell (Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association of New Jersey), Joe Clancy (Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred), Cindy Deubler (Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred), Linda Dougherty (freelance), Debbie Easter (Virginia Thoroughbred Association), Paul Espinosa (Charles Town Races), Cricket Goodall (Maryland Horse Breeders Association), Nick Hahn (freelance), Carol Holden (West Virginia Breeders Classics), Tom LaMarra (Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association), Averie Levanti (Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association), Jeff Nations (freelance), Vinnie Perrone (freelance), Frank Petramalo (Virginia Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association), John Piassek (freelance), Gary Quill (The Racing Biz), David Richardson (Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association), Brian Sanfratello (Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association), Chris Sobocinski (Delaware Park), Dan Tordjman (freelance), Frank Vespe (The Racing Biz), Bill Watson (freelance), Bobby Zen (freelance).
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