Midnight Bisou supplants Maximum Security atop NTRA rankings
Midnight Bisou, the champion older dirt female of 2019 and runner-up in her first try against males in the $20 million Saudi Cup, earned 16 first-place votes and a total of 376 points to take over the lead position in this week’s National Thoroughbred Racing Association Top Thoroughbred Poll.
Champion Maximum Security had previously been ranked in the top spot following his victory in the Saudi Cup. In the wake of the federal indictment and doping-related charges announced March 9 against 27 individuals, including Jason Servis, who had been the trainer of Maximum Security, NTRA poll voters were given the opportunity to adjust their selections should they choose.
Maximum Security still received 24 first-place votes, but his overall point total of 241 dropped him to fourth behind Mucho Gusto in second (316 points) and Zulu Alpha (1 first-place vote, 267 points). Mucho Gusto is set to make his next start in the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) on March 28 while Zulu Alpha has captured the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) and Diarmida Stakes (G2) in his first two outings of 2020.
Mr Freeze, winner of the Gulfstream Park Mile (G2), rounded out the top five. No. 8 Firenze Fire is another horse formerly trained by Servis; he dropped one spot this week.
The NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll concludes November 9 after the running of the Breeders’ Cup.
| HORSE | A-S | STATS | POINTS | PVS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MIDNIGHT BISOU (16) | 5-M | 1-0-1-0 | 376 | 2 |
| 2 | MUCHO GUSTO | 4-C | 2-1-0-0 | 316 | 3 |
| 3 | ZULU ALPHA (1) | 7-G | 2-2-0-0 | 267 | 4 |
| 4 | MAXIMUM SECURITY (24) | 4-C | 1-1-0-0 | 241 | 1 |
| 5 | MR FREEZE | 5-H | 2-1-1-0 | 159 | 5 |
| 6 | CODE OF HONOR | 4-C | 0-0-0-0 | 110 | 6 |
| 7 | COMBATANT | 5-R | 2-1-0-1 | 95 | - |
| 8 | FIRENZE FIRE | 5-H | 1-1-0-0 | 74 | 7 |
| 9T | HARD NOT TO LOVE | 4-F | 1-1-0-0 | 56 | 8 |
| 9T | MCKINZIE | 5-H | 1-0-0-0 | 56 | 9 |
Ete Indien, an 8 ½-length winner of the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) on February 29, sits third with 1 first-place vote and 254 points.
The Top 3-Year-Old Poll concludes June 8 after the Belmont Stakes.
| HORSE | A-S | STATS | POINTS | PVS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1T | AUTHENTIC (16) | 3-C | 2-2-0-0 | 373 | 6 |
| 1T | TIZ THE LAW (22) | 3-C | 1-1-0-0 | 373 | 1 |
| 3 | ETE INDIEN (1) | 3-C | 2-1-1-0 | 254 | 3 |
| 4 | NADAL | 3-C | 2-2-0-0 | 215 | 4 |
| 5 | HONOR A.P. | 3-C | 1-0-1-0 | 156 | 22 |
| 6 | SILVER PROSPECTOR (2) | 3-C | 2-1-0-0 | 140 | 7 |
| 7 | SOLE VOLANTE | 3-C | 3-1-1-1 | 137 | 5 |
| 8 | MISCHEVIOUS ALEX | 3-C | 2-2-0-0 | 81 | 27 |
| 9 | INDEPENDENCE HALL | 3-C | 2-1-1-0 | 70 | 8 |
| 10 | GOUVERNEUR MORRIS | 3-C | 1-1-0-0 | 68 | 12 |