NTRA poll: Baeza joins top 10 after Pennsylvania Derby win
Baeza moved into the top 10 of the latest National Thoroughbred Racing Association poll of the top Thoroughbreds in the country with his win Saturday in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby.
It was a breakthrough win ahead of the Breeders' Cup Classic. Since breaking his maiden in May for trainer John Shirreffs, Baeza has finished second or third in the Santa Anita Derby (G1), Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Jim Dandy (G2), behind Sovereignty and-or Journalism in each.
With the win, Baeza was ranked no. 8 in the latest poll, up from no. 23 the week before.
Sovereignty, winner of four straight graded stakes from the Kentucky Derby to the Travers, retained the no. 1 spot, followed by Fierceness, last-out winner of the Pacific Classic (G1), and Mindframe, who won the Stephen Foster (G1) but threw his rider last out in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1).
| Horse | Age-sex | 2025 record | Points | Previous |
| 1. Sovereignty (27) | 3-C | 6: 5-1-0 | 286 | 1 |
| 2. Fierceness | 4-C | 4: 2-1-0 | 245 | 2 |
| 3. Mindframe (1) | 4-C | 4: 3-0-0 | 205 | 3 |
| 4. Sierra Leone | 4-C | 4: 1-2-1 | 188 | 4 |
| 5. Thorpedo Anna (1) | 4-F | 5: 4-0-0 | 172 | 5 |
| 6. Journalism | 3-C | 7: 4-3-0 | 145 | 6 |
| 7. Book'em Danno | 4-G | 5: 4-0-0 | 109 | 7 |
| 8. Baeza | 3-C | 7: 2-3-2 | 49 | 23 |
| 9. Deterministic | 4-C | 4: 3-1-0 | 41 | 9 |
| 10. Nysos | 4-C | 3: 2-1-0 | 38 | 8 |
The top Thoroughbred poll is conducted by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, with this week's rankings covering racing performances through Sunday. Voting is conducted by national media. The poll represents horses competing for horse of the year and concludes on Tuesday, Nov. 4, after the Breeders’ Cup.