PREAKNESS WINNER WAR OF WILL ON THE MOVE IN NTRA TOP 3-YEAR-OLD POLL

Alicia Hughes/NTRA —-

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 20, 2019) – War of Will’s statement-making victory in the 144th Preakness Stakes was heeded as the Mark Casse-trained colt earned 18 first-place votes and 411 points to move up to second overall in this week’s National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top 3-Year-Old Poll.

War of Will came into the middle leg of the Triple Crown after avoiding disaster in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve when he was impeded by Maximum Security en route to crossing the wire eighth. The latter was ultimately disqualified due to interference and did not go on to Baltimore, but retains the top position in the poll with 21 first-place votes and 418 points.

Prior to his classic run, Maximum Security had won four straight including the Grade 1 Xpressbet Florida Derby. War of Will earlier captured the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes and Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Grade 1 Arkansas Derby winner Omaha Beach, who had to scratch out of the Kentucky Derby due to an entrapped epiglottis, drops one spot to third in the poll with 6 first-place votes and 340 points. Country House, who was elevated to first in the Kentucky Derby, is now fourth with 295 points.

Country House’s stablemate Tacitus, who is preparing for an expected run in the Belmont Stakes, is fifth with 254 points while Code of Honor (244 points) is sixth. Reigning juvenile male champion Game Winner checks in seventh with 159 points followed by Longines Kentucky Oaks heroine Serengeti Empress (78 points). Owendale, third in the Preakness Stakes, joins the top 10 in the ninth position with 54 points while Grade 1 winner Improbable (53 points) rounds out the order.

The top six positions in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll remain unchanged with Chad Brown-trainee Bricks and Mortar holding strong with 32 first-place votes and 416 points. Fellow Grade 1 winner McKinzie (6 first-place votes, 352 points) is second with Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap winner Gift Box (3 first-place votes, 286 points) third.

Midnight Bisou, currently the nation’s top distaffer, remains fourth with 225 points followed by Mitole (221 points) and World of Trouble (186). Multiple Grade 1 winner Catholic Boy (162 points) joins the top ten this week in seventh following his win in the Grade 2 Dixie Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. Champion Monomoy Girl (2 first-place votes, 112 points), Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow (IRE) (1 first-place vote, 84 points), and champion sprinter Roy H (82 points) complete the top ten.

Retired Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational winner City of Light (56 points) received a single first-place vote.

The NTRA Top Thoroughbred polls are 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 NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll concludes November 4 after the running of the Breeders’ Cup.

The Top 3-Year-Old Poll concludes June 8 after the Belmont Stakes.

The full results for the NTRA Thoroughbred Poll can be found on the NTRA website at:

https://www.ntra.com/ntra-top-thoroughbred-poll-may-20-2019/

Full accounting of top 10 votes by voter can be found at:

https://www.ntra.com/wp-content/uploads/Polls-week17-by_voter-2019.pdf

Cover Photo: War of Will; Hodges Photography