Contact: Joan Lawrence, NTRA Communications, (646) 335-6833, jlawrence@ntra.com

CALIFORNIA CHROME RETAINS FIRST PLACE ON NTRA TOP THOROUGHBRED POLL

Receives all 38-first-place votes 

Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (Monday, September 26, 2016) – California Chrome the leading Thoroughbred in North America with earnings over $13 million continues to remain in first-place in this week’s NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. The all-time leading money earner in the U.S., California Chrome has led the poll for all 29 weeks of 2016 voting, clinching this week’s tally with all 38 first-place votes and 380 points overall. California Chrome is expected to enter in the Grade I “Win and You’re In Breeders’ Cup Classic Division” the Awesome Stakes this Saturday, October 1 at Santa Anita Park.

The NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll is the sport’s most comprehensive survey of experts ranking active North American-based Thoroughbreds. Every week 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. The NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll concludes Monday, November 7, following the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, which will be held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

Tepin (325) “The Queen of the Turf” trained by  Mark Casse  remains in second  after her victorious win in the $1million Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes, a “Win and You’re In” two weeks ago at Woodbine for owner Robert Masterson.  Tepin’s next start could come in either the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1 T) or the First Lady Stakes (G2 T), at Keeneland, Oct. 8. It is also possible that she may just train up to the Breeders’ Cup Mile on Nov. 5.

 The undefeated 3-year-old Eclipse Award Champion filly Songbird, (281) with a perfect total career of eleven starts with eleven wins moved up the ranks to third place after she romped to her most recent victory this past Saturday in the Grade I Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing for Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and owner Rick Porter. It is anticipated that Songbird’s next appearance will come in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita.

 Flintshire drops down a notch to fourth (269) for trainer Chad Brown. It is expected that Flintshire’s next start is this Saturday in the Grade 1 “Win and You’re In Breeders’ Cup Turf Division” Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont Park

Frosted (208) remains in fifth in the rankings for Godolphin Racing and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

Travers Stakes winner Arrogate (178) stays steady in sixth. The three-time Eclipse Award champion Beholder (154) remains in seventh.  Beholder is scheduled to run this Saturday in the Grade I Zenyatta Stakes, a “Win and You’re In Breeders’ Cup Distaff Division” for trainer Richard Mandella and owner B. Wayne Hughes.

The remaining top 10 is rounded out by:  Melatonin (66); Cavorting (61) and A.P. Indian (40).