Sovereignty, shown in training last week at Churchill Downs, defeated favored Journalism and 17 others in the 151st Kentucky Derby. Trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado, Sovereignty gave owner/breeder Godolphin its first Kentucky Derby winner. Photo credit: NTRA Photo
NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll – May 5, 2025
Week 15 of the 2025 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 May 4. 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 4 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, 2024 record and total points. A-S: Age-Sex, Sex: C-colt, G-gelding, H-horse, F-filly, M-mare, R-ridgling.
TOP 3-YEAR OLD POLL
| PLACE | HORSE | A-S | STATS | POINTS | PVS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SOVEREIGNTY (29) | 3-C | 3-2-1-0 | 299 | 3 |
| 2 | JOURNALISM | 3-C | 3-2-1-0 | 267 | 1 |
| 3 | BAEZA | 3-C | 4-1-2-1 | 229 | 11 |
| 4 | GOOD CHEER (1) | 3-F | 3-3-0-0 | 160 | 10 |
| 5 | FINAL GAMBIT | 3-C | 4-2-1-0 | 134 | 12 |
| 6 | RODRIGUEZ | 3-C | 4-2-1-1 | 120 | 4 |
| 7 | BURNHAM SQUARE | 3-G | 4-2-0-0 | 95 | 5 |
| 8 | SANDMAN | 3-C | 4-1-1-1 | 89 | 2 |
| 9 | OWEN ALMIGHTY | 3-C | 5-1-1-0 | 63 | 23 |
| 10 | TAPPAN STREET | 3-C | 2-1-1-0 | 56 | 6 |
Other horses receiving votes: NITROGEN (31), GRANDE (24), ZULU KINGDOM (21), MACHO MUSIC (11), TIZTASTIC (10), CLEVER AGAIN (7), MADAKET ROAD (5), COAL BATTLE (5), SAND DEVIL (4), CITIZEN BULL (4), EAST AVENUE (3), GOAL ORIENTED (2), RIVER THAMES (2), PATCH ADAMS (1), VIXEN (1), SHRED THE GNAR (1), LOOK FORWARD (1), CHUNK OF GOLD (1)
TOP THOROUGHBRED POLL
| PLACE | HORSE | A-S | STATS | POINTS | PVS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WHITE ABARRIO (16) | 6-H | 2-2-0-0 | 269 | 2 |
| 2 | FIERCENESS (12) | 4-C | 1-1-0-0 | 262 | 10 |
| 3 | MINDFRAME (1) | 4-C | 2-2-0-0 | 220 | 5 |
| 4 | HIT SHOW | 5-H | 3-2-0-1 | 147 | 4 |
| 5 | THORPEDO ANNA (1) | 4-F | 3-2-0-0 | 129 | 1 |
| 6 | LOCKED | 4-C | 3-1-1-0 | 89 | 3 |
| 7 | SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS | 6-G | 3-2-0-0 | 77 | 24 |
| 8 | KOPION | 4-F | 2-2-0-0 | 64 | 14 |
| 9 | RAGING SEA | 5-M | 1-1-0-0 | 50 | 39 |
| 10 | SIERRA LEONE | 4-C | 1-0-0-1 | 49 | 8 |
Other horses receiving votes: FIRST MISSION (45), SOVEREIGNTY (38), RAGING TORRENT (31), CARL SPACKLER (28), SHE FEELS PRETTY (20), TOUCHUPONASTAR (19), NYSOS (17), SAUDI CROWN (17), FOREVER YOUNG (14), GOOD CHEER (14), JOURNALISM (9), BANISHING (8), CAVALIERI (7), STRAIGHT NO CHASER (6), MIXTO (6), ZULU KINGDOM (5), JUST A TOUCH (4), MYSTIK DAN (3), SKELLY (2), NITROGEN (1)