Nitrogen, the Eclipse Award 2025 Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, handles business in the Beldame Stakes (G2) at the new Belmont Park. The 4-year-old Medaglia d’Oro filly was coming off a second-place finish to Sovereignty in the Whitney Stakes (G1) and has compiled a 2026 record of 6-3-2-1 for owner D.J. Stable and Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. Nitrogen is expected to start next in the Oct. 31 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1). Coglianese Photo
NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll – Sep 28, 2026
Week 36 of the 2026 NTRA Top Three-Year-Old Thoroughbred Poll and the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll conducted by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), covering racing performances through Sep 27. Voting is conducted by national media.
The 3-Year-Old poll represents horses competing up and through the Triple Crown.
The Top Thoroughbred poll represents horses competing for Horse of the Year. The Top Thoroughbred Poll concludes on Tuesday, November 3 following the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
Rankings on both polls are on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-1 basis with first place votes in parentheses, 2026 record and total points. A-S: Age-Sex, Sex: C-colt, G-gelding, H-horse, F-filly, M-mare, R-ridgling.
TOP THOROUGHBRED POLL
| PLACE | HORSE | A-S | STATS | POINTS | PVS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SOVEREIGNTY (11) | 4-C | 3-1-1-1 | 242 | 1 |
| 2 | FOREVER YOUNG (JPN) (13) | 5-H | 3-2-1-0 | 234 | 2 |
| 3 | KNIGHTSBRIDGE (2) | 5-H | 6-4-1-0 | 216 | 3 |
| 4 | NITROGEN | 4-F | 6-3-2-1 | 194 | 4 |
| 5 | MAGNITUDE (2) | 4-C | 4-3-0-0 | 143 | 5 |
| 6 | ENGLISHMAN | 3-C | 4-3-1-0 | 115 | 6 |
| 7 | GOLDEN TEMPO | 3-C | 6-3-0-3 | 91 | 8 |
| 8 | NOTABLE SPEECH (GB) | 5-H | 5-3-0-0 | 81 | 7 |
| 9 | DETERMINISTIC | 5-H | 4-3-1-0 | 80 | 9 |
| 10 | SPLENDORA | 5-M | 6-5-0-0 | 57 | 10 |
Other horses receiving votes: LEADING CHANGE (17), NAPOLEON SOLO (11), BURNHAM SQUARE (9), WAYS AND MEANS (9), FULLY SUBSCRIBED (8), T O ELVIS (7), TIFFANY (IRE) (6), THE PUMA (5), LUSTER (3), EXPLORA (3), COUNTING STARS (3), TAM TAM (2), CAROLINE ST BEAT (2), BAEZA (1), NYSOS (1)