Racing Dudes Divisional Rankings 5/23/19: Rankings Debut

Welcome to the first 2019 Divisional Rankings of the year! Each week for the whole year, we will rank the best thoroughbred horses in America based on their divisions. Let’s take a look at the first 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 half over, we’ve started to get a good feel for who are the top horses in the country at this moment. Here’s what my latest Top 10 poll looked like:

1. Bricks and Mortar 

2. World of Trouble 

3. Mitole  

4. Gift Box

5. McKinzie 

6. City of Light  

7. Midnight Bisou

8. X Y Jet

9. Maximum Security 

10. Roy H

Older Males

1.  Bricks and Mortar – After three straight stakes victories, he’s easily number one on the list.

2. Gift Box – He’s unbeaten since moving to the west coast, including a win over McKinzie in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1).

3. McKinzie – A powerful win in the Alysheba Stakes (G2) has him on track for the Met Mile (G1).

4. City of Light – His Pegasus World Cup (G1) win will probably be the best race that we see all year long.

5. Catholic Boy – He returned with a win in the Dixie Stakes (G2) at Pimlico. This should be a huge year for him.

Sleeper: Catalina Cruiser – The horse is back in training at Santa Anita Park and could be a monster this season.

Older Females

1. Midnight Bisou – She has earned her way here with three graded stakes victories this season.

2. Monomoy Girl – We haven’t seen her run this year, and there is no word on when she might return, but she belongs here based on class and talent.

3. She’s A Julie – Her massive La Troienne Stakes (G1) win at Churchill Downs has her in the mix to kick off her 4-year-old season.

4. Paradise Woods – A barn change to John Shirreffs seems to have taught her how to rate off of the early pace.

5. Elate – She has run okay this year; however, she could not beat Midnight Bisou in either of their matchups.

Sleeper: Mia Mischief – This filly could be on her way to a huge season sprinting.

3-Year-Old Males

1. Maximum Security – This is the deserving top horse for now, regardless of his disqualification in the Kentucky Derby (G1).

2. War of Will – His Preakness Stakes (G1) victory was great for the sport and possibility set up a huge rematch with Maximum Security down the road.

3. Omaha Beach – He may be the best horse in this crop; however, until he proves it, he will be ranked behind the classic winners.

4. Country House – His Kentucky Derby (G1) “win” put him in the conversation, but he still has much to prove.

5. Code of Honor – This solid horse seems to excel best going a smidge shorter than the classic 1 1/4-mile distance.

Sleeper: Tacitus – Look out for him in the Belmont Stakes (G1). He seems to be getting better with every start.

3-Year-Old Females

1. Serengeti Empress – She’s wildly inconsistent, but when she’s on her game, she is ultra-difficult to beat.

2. Bellafina – The curse of Kentucky continued for her in the Kentucky Oaks (G1), but she still could take this division over with solid races over the summer. Her connections are planning to cut her back to one-turn distances.

3. Point of Honor – Her big-time Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) win puts her in a position to move forward.

4. Covfefe – She showed in the Miss Preakness Stakes (G3) that she might be the best female sprinter in the country.

5. Champagne Anyone – There will be better days for her after a disappointing Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Sleeper: Dunbar Road – This lightly-raced filly could be headed for big things in the second half of 2019.

Sprinters

1. World of Trouble – Dirt, turf, it doesn’t matter. This guy can do it all.

2. Mitole – Back-to-back graded stakes victories have him rolling into the Met Mile (G1) in perfect form.

3. X Y Jet – He finally got his Golden Shaheen (G1) victory in Dubai after coming so close in previous years.

4. Roy H – A setback in Dubai has forced him to miss some time; however, we know that he can come back with a vengeance when he’s healthy.

5. Whitmore – The old pro will bounce back from his recent so-so effort at Churchill Downs.

Sleeper: Imprimis – This could be the next big turf sprinter. He really showed his class in the Shakertown Stakes (G2) at Keeneland.