Catalina Cruiser make a move into NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll

Catalina Cruiser captured the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 24 to complete the unprecedented double of winning that, along with the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap earlier in the meet, two years in a row. Media accordingly voted Catalina Cruiser Horse of the Meeting as racing

The 5-year-old chestnut trained by John Sadler slid into the 10th spot of this week’s poll by earning 72 points among voters, one point behind Grade 1 Travers Stakes winner Code of Honor in ninth.

That shift was the only new one as leading Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar concludes yet another month as the clear leader. The Chad Brown-trained son of Giant’s Causeway garnered 33 first-place votes to maintain the No. 1 position with top distaffer Midnight Bisou, with three No. 1 votes, holding second.

McKinzie, Mitole and Sistercharlie rounded out the first five.

The NTRA Top Thoroughbred poll is the sport’s most comprehensive surveys of experts. 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. All horses that have raced in the U.S., are in training in the U.S., or are known to be pointing to a major event in the U.S. are eligible for the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll.

The Top Thoroughbred Poll wraps up November 4 after the running of the Breeders’ Cup.

Other horses receiving votes: PRESERVATIONIST (68), MAXIMUM SECURITY (65), VASILIKA (22), HIGHER POWER (15), THUNDER SNOW (14), GOT STORMY (11), DUNBAR ROAD (9), CONCRETE ROSE (7), MR. MONEY (6), VINO ROSSO (6), X Y JET (4), GUARANA (3), CATHOLIC BOY (3), RUSHING FALL (3), ROY H (2), ANNALS OF TIME (2), SEEKING THE SOUL (1).