NADAL TAKES NARROW LEAD IN NTRA TOP 3-YEAR-OLD POLL

Alicia Hughes, NTRA Communications —-

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 4, 2020) – Nadal’s victory in the second division of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on May 2 kept him flawless in four career starts and earned the son of Blame favoritism among voters in this week’s National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top 3-Year-Old Poll.

On the strength of his three-length victory in the Arkansas Derby – which was split into two divisions to accommodate the overflow of entries – Nadal was able to overtake fellow Grade 1-winner Tiz the Law for the lead in this week’s poll, earning 19 first-place votes and 401 points. Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Nadal hasn’t put a foot wrong since making his career debut January 19 and has also captured the Grade 2 San Vicente and Grade 2 Rebel Stakes this season.

Sackatoga Stable’s Tiz the Law, who most recently triumphed in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, also earned 19 first-place votes but had 387 total points to drop one spot to second.

As has been the case in recent weeks, colts conditioned by Baffert continue to dominate the top five of the 3-Year-Old Poll. Charlatan, who won the first division of the Arkansas Derby just over an hour before his stablemate prevailed in the second edition, earned 4 first-place votes and 355 points to move up to third overall, just ahead of fellow unbeaten barn mate Authentic (1 first-place vote, 308 points). Charlatan was making just his third career start and first try against graded stakes company with his run in the Arkansas Derby, emphatically answering the bell with a gate-to-wire, sixth-length triumph.

King Guillermo, second behind Nadal in their division of the Arkansas Derby, earned 197 points to check in fifth followed by Honor A. P. (166 points), Sole Volante (116), and Ete Indien (111). Grade 1-winner Maxfield (76 points) and Basin (65) round out the top ten.

While champion Midnight Bisou continues to lead the pack in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll with 32 first-place votes and 416 points, multiple graded stakes-winner By My Standards surged into the top three on the heels of his victory in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on May 2. By My Standards notched 3 first-place votes and 307 points to move up to the third position, just behind Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational winner Mucho Gusto (334 points).

Zulu Alpha (1 first-place vote, 218 points) dropped one position to fourth followed by multiple Grade 1-winner Ce Ce (202 points). Tom’s d’Etat sits sixth with 134 points while champion Maximum Security (7 first-place votes, 132 points) ranks seventh. Venerable Grade 1-winner Whitmore (99 points) is eighth with Mr Freeze (84) and Code of Honor (57) completing the top 10.

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. Voting in both the Top 3-Year-Old Poll and the Top Thoroughbred Poll is scheduled to be conducted through the conclusion of the Breeders’ Cup in November.

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-4-2020/

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

https://mk0ntrauj6jy9vera.kinstacdn.com/wp-content/uploads/Polls-week10-by_voter-2020.pdf