NTRA Top 3-Year-Old Poll: Four newcomers to the top 10
At the conclusion of the 152nd Belmont Stakes on June 20, Sackatoga Stable’s Tiz the Law left no doubt who wields the balance of power in the sophomore male division when he cruised to the finish line 3 3/4 lengths in front. On Monday, the son of Constitution was reaffirmed as the one his classmates will have to try to catch when he earned 38 first-place votes and 389 points to lead the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top Three-Year-Old Poll.
The only other horse to earn a first-place vote in the poll was Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A. P., who was ranked No. 1 on a single ballot and sits second overall with 348 points. In capturing the $1 million Belmont Stakes, which led off the Triple Crown for the first time in history because of the Kentucky Derby being rescheduled for Sept. 5 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Tiz the Law bolstered his record to five wins from six career starts, including a 3-for-3 mark this season.
Trained by Barclay Tagg, Tiz the Law opened his 2020 campaign with a victory in the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes on February 1 and followed that up with a win in Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 28 prior to his Belmont Stakes run.
Plans for Tiz the Law's next race -- the Grade 1 Travers Stakes on Aug. 8 -- are already underway.
"I've never won the Travers and I want to win it," Tagg told the NYRA publicity team. "It's very important to me.”
There was no change in the top three this week as multiple graded-stakes winner Authentic remained third with 256 points. There were, however, four newcomers to the top 10 led by Belmont Stakes runner up Dr Post, who landed in fourth overall with 204 points. Dr Post was making his fourth career start and first try against graded stakes company in the 1 1/8-mile Belmont.
King Guillermo (191 points) held in fifth followed by the filly Gamine, who captured the Grade 1 Acorn by a dazzling 18 3/4 lengths in stakes-record time. Previously ranked outside the top 30, Gamine garnered 135 points this week to jump up to the sixth position.
Grade 1-winner Charlatan (107 points) is seventh while Max Player, the third-place finisher in the Belmont Stakes, joins the top 10 in eighth. Maxfield (68 points) drops to ninth, just ahead of the multiple graded-stakes winning filly Swiss Skydiver (67), who moves up one spot to complete the top 10.
Other horses receiving votes: NADAL (67), BASIN (49), NO PAROLE (34), ETE INDIEN (33), CEZANNE (23), NY TRAFFIC (16), DECORATED INVADER (15), PNEUMATIC (12), GOUVERNEUR MORRIS (12), THOUSAND WORDS (9), WELLS BAYOU (7), SOLE VOLANTE (4), ENFORCEABLE (3), RUSHIE (3), SHARING (3), SHEDARESTHEDEVIL (2), UNCLE CHUCK (1), ART COLLECTOR (1), MR. BIG NEWS (1), COLLUSION ILLUSION (1)
Top Thoroughbred rankings
Midnight Bisou, the reigning champion older dirt female, continues to hold her lead in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll ahead of her expected run in Saturday’s 45th running of the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs. Midnight Bisou earned 25 first-place votes and 361 points as she readies for her first start since finishing second in the Saudi Cup on Feb. 29.
By My Standards (1 first-place vote, 248 points) ranks second followed by Mucho Gusto (244 points) and Code of Honor (4 first-place votes, 205 points). Tom’s d’Etat (148 points) holds in fifth as he prepares to meet By My Standards, among others, in the Grade 2 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs on Saturday.
Zulu Alpha (130 points) and Vekoma (121) rank sixth and seventh, respectively, with Tiz the Law earning 5 first-place votes and 117 points to join the Top Thoroughbred Poll in the eighth spot. Improbable (91 points) and Maximum Security (4 first-place votes, 87 points) round out the top 10.
Other horses receiving votes: MCKINZIE (85), MONOMOY GIRL (62), RAGING BULL (40), MR FREEZE (27), HONOR A.P. (20), OLEKSANDRA (20), GAMINE (19), WHITMORE (17), CE CE (12), OWENDALE (9), RUSHING FALL (8), STARSHIP JUBILEE (8), FIGHTING MAD (8), UNI (7), VOLATILE (7), UNITED (6), DUNBAR ROAD (6), WARRIOR’S CHARGE (5), NEWSPAPEROFRECORD (5), FACTOR THIS (4), SERENGETI EMPRESS (4), NO PAROLE (3), KEEPER OFTHE STARS (3), SISTERCHARLIE (3), MIND CONTROL (2), OLLIE’S CANDY (1), DECORATED INVADER (1), SWISS SKYDIVER (1)