MAXIMUM SECURITY, BRICKS AND MORTAR STILL OUT FRONT IN NTRA POLLS

Alicia Hughes/NTRA —-

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 13, 2019) – Their respective outings at Churchill Downs on May 4 continue to resonate for Maximum Security and fellow Grade 1 winner Bricks and Mortar as each remains out front in this week’s National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top 3-Year-Old Poll and NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll.

Maximum Security, who crossed the wire first in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve but was disqualified and placed 17th due to interference, earned 28 first-place votes – five more than he tallied last week – and 412 points to retain the top spot in the 3-Year-Old Poll for a second straight week. Prior to his classic run, the son of New Year’s Day had won four straight including the Grade 1 Xpressbet Florida Derby.

Grade 1 Arkansas Derby winner Omaha Beach, who had to scratch out of the Kentucky Derby due to an entrapped epiglottis, remains second in the poll with 13 first-place votes and 366 points. Country House, who was elevated to first in the Kentucky Derby, is third with 2 first-place votes and 320 points.

Code of Honor, who moved up to second in the Derby, is fourth with 270 points followed by Tacitus (260 points) in fifth. Improbable, who is slated to start in the Preakness Stakes on May 18, is sixth with 193 points, just ahead of stablemate and champion Game Winner (166 points).

Multiple graded stakes winner War of Will (142 points) is eighth followed by Longines Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress (68) and Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby winner Roadster (40) to complete the top 10.

Bricks and Mortar earned his fourth straight victory when he captured the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard and remains the clear choice in the Top Thoroughbred Poll with 29 first-place votes and 403 points. The Chad Brown-trained runner is followed by Grade 1 winner McKinzie (5 first-place votes, 333 points) in second with Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap winner Gift Box (3 first-place votes, 274 points) third.

Midnight Bisou, currently the nation’s top distaffer, remains fourth with 229 points while fellow top-level winner Mitole is fifth with 212 points. World of Trouble (197 points) is sixth with champion Monomoy Girl (3 first-place votes, 140 points) sitting in the seventh position. Champion male sprinter Roy H (99 points), Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow (IRE) (1 first-place vote, 85 points), and retired Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational hero City of Light (1 first-place vote, 69 points) round out the top ten.

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-13-2019/

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

https://www.ntra.com/wp-content/uploads/Polls-week16-by_voter-2019.pdf