Racing Dudes Divisional Rankings 10/23/19: Pre-Breeders’ Cup Rankings

Welcome to the 2019 Divisional Rankings! Each week, we will rank the best thoroughbred horses in America based on their divisions. Let’s take a look at the rankings, including my latest NTRA Top 10 Poll:

Overall Rankings

Here are my overall rankings as seen in the latest NTRA Top 10 Poll of the season. The poll ranks the top thoroughbred horses based on if Horse of the Year voting was conducted at this very moment. With the year now more than half over, we’ve started to get a good feel for the top horses in the country. Here’s what my latest Top 10 poll looked like:

1. Bricks and Mortar 

2. Midnight Bisou 

3. Mitole  

4. Sistercharlie    

5. Imperial Hint 

6. Code of Honor 

7. McKinzie  

8. Vino Rosso

9. Omaha Beach

10. Maximum Security 

Older Males

1.  Bricks and Mortar – He picked up yet another victory in the Arlington Million Stakes (G1). This is the Horse of the Year at the moment, but there’s an older female who might turn it into a tight finish.

2. McKinzie – A loss in the Awesome Again (G1) was disappointing, but he still put up a decent performance. He has been a consistent runner all year long.

3. Vino Rosso – A disqualification cost him a win in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1). He is dangerous at the classic 1 1/4-mile distance. 

4. Catalina Cruiser – Three straight victories capped off with a repeat score in the Pat O’Brien Stakes (G2) puts him right in the middle of this division heading into the Breeders’ Cup. 

5. City of Light – His Pegasus World Cup (G1) win will end up being one of the best races that we see all year long.

Sleeper: Yoshida – He hit the board in two straight Saratoga efforts, which is enough to keep him as a sleeper in this weak division. 

Older Females

1. Midnight Bisou – This division is on lockdown after Midnight Bisou picked up her seventh straight win in the Beldame Stakes (G2). 

2. Sistercharlie – She is a win machine, picking up another easy victory in the Flower Bowl Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park.

3. Got Stormy – She lost the Woodbine Mile (G1) by a 1/2-length, but it was still a tremendous effort. 

4. Uni – A dominating First Lady Stakes (G1) victory at Keeneland was one of the most impressive performances of the year. 

5. Elate – She always shows up with a solid effort, but her resume lacks Grade 1 wins. 

Sleeper: Blue Prize – She’s back on the map again after taking home the Spinster Stakes (G1) at Keeneland for the second straight year.

3-Year-Old Males

1. Code of Honor – A win against older horses in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) moves him to number-one in the division. 

2. Omaha Beach – He’s back! An ultra-impressive Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G1) victory returned him to the conversation. 

3. Maximum Security – An acute bout of colic forced him to miss a start in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1). He is scheduled to return this weekend at Belmont Park.  

4. Tacitus – Another on-the-board finish for him in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) added to his consistent resume. He is done for the year but is expected to return in 2020.

5. Mr. Money – He blew his chance of winning a Grade 1 race in the Pennsylvania Derby, losing to Math Wizard, whom he had already defeated twice. 

Sleeper: War of Will – His Pennsylvania Derby (G1) effort was at least a major improvement over his prior two starts. 

3-Year-Old Females

1. Dunbar Road – A solid showing against older horses in the Spinster Stakes (G1) helps her retain the top spot heading into the Breeders’ Cup. However, she will still have to work to lock this division up.

2. Guarana – She suffered her first defeat in the Cotillion Stakes (G1), though she still finished a solid second. Unfortunately, she will not run at the Breeders’ Cup. 

3. Covfefe – The top 3-year-old female sprinter in the country only seems to be getting better as she heads to the Breeders’ Cup.

4. Street Band – Her Cotillion Stakes (G1) romp puts her in a position to make some major noise at the Breeders’ Cup. 

5. Serengeti Empress – A tough effort in the Cotillion Stakes (G1) keeps her on the list. She may be at her best when sprinting. 

Sleeper: Point of Honor – The Alabama Stakes (G1) did not go her way; however, she deserves credit for finishing second in both that race and the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1).

Sprinters

1. Mitole – The Mighty Mitole returned to beast mode with an amazing performance in the Forego Stakes (G1). 

2. Imperial Hint – He showed he was all heart in a heart-stopping win in the Vosburgh Stakes (G1). 

3. World of Trouble – The stellar World of Trouble rolled again at Belmont Park in the Jaipur Invitational Stakes (G1).

4. X Y Jet – He finally got his Golden Shaheen (G1) victory in Dubai after coming so close in previous years. He recently returned to training with an eye on a late 2019 campaign.

5. Cistron – He may be a cut below the best horses in this division, but his Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) win was nice.

Sleeper: Giant Expectations – His Pat O’Brien Stakes (G2) effort was impressive. Maybe 6 or 7 furlongs are his best distances.

2-Year-Old Males

1. Dennis’ Moment – He left no doubt with a dominant performance in the Iroquois Stakes (G3). He will be one of the top favorites in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). 

2. Eight Rings – He stamped himself as a serious player with a bounce-back win in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1). 

3. Maxfield – His performance in the Breeders’ Futurity Stakes (G1) might be the best that we’ve seen all year from this division. 

4. Tiz the Law – He’ll point to the end-of-year Remsen Stakes (G2) after a fantastic win in the Champagne Stakes (G1). 

5. Basin – A powerful win in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) gives his connections plenty to be excited about moving forward. He is taking off the rest of 2019.

Sleeper: Scabbard – Back-to-back runner-up efforts against two of the top three horses in our rankings have us high on this colt moving forward.

2-Year-Old Females

1. Bast – Back-to-back Grade 1 victories moved her to the number-one spot as we head to the Breeders’ Cup.

2. British Idiom – This division looks loaded after her dominating win in the Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1) at Keeneland. 

3. Wicked Whisper – She made it look easy with a hand-ride victory in the Frizette Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park. 

4. Perfect Alibi – Don’t forget about this multiple graded stakes winner who ran well in defeat in the Alcibiades. 

5. Amalfi Sunrise – She won the Sorrento Stakes (G2) in impressive fashion, making her a perfect two-for-two. 

Sleeper: Lazy Daisy –She was beaten easily in the Del Mar Debutante (G1), but she won the Pocahontas Stakes (G2) last time out and is headed to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) next.