Gun Runner in First Position During NTRA Poll
With no major stakes racing impacting the top-ten this past week, there is little to no changes in Week 33 of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top Thoroughbred Poll for horses of all ages, results of which were released today.
Remaining in first after winning the Grade I Woodward Stakes two weeks ago at Saratoga, Gun Runner (34 first-place votes, 385 points) firmly holds the lead in the top-ten .Trained by Steve Asmussen for owners Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm the Candy Ride colt is expected to train up to the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 4 at Del Mar.
Arrogate (4 first-place votes, 336 points), who had dominated the poll the first 29 weeks this year for trainer Bob Baffert and Juddmonte Farms, remains in second after his runner-up finish behind stablemate Collected ranked third with (241) in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic, a “Win and You’re In” contest for a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic two weeks ago. Arrogate, the leading earner in North American racing history, remains on target for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Lady Eli (239) takes fourth position for Sheep Pond Partners followed by Stellar Wind (234) in fifth for trainer John Sadler.
The complete top-ten In descending order are: Gun Runner (34 first place votes,385 points ); Arrogate (4 first-place votes,336 points); Collected (241); Lady Eli (239); Stellar Wind (234); Drefong (111); Mor Spirit (107); West Coast (1 first-place vote; 96 points); Forever Unbridled (84) and Abel Tasman (65).
The NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll concludes November 6 after the running of the Breeders’ Cup.