Racing Dudes Divisional Rankings 6/19/19: 3-Year-Old Shakeup

Welcome to the 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 the top horses in the country. Here’s what my latest Top 10 poll looked like:

1. Bricks and Mortar 

2. Mitole

3. World of Trouble  

4. Midnight Bisou

5. Vino Rosso  

6. McKinzie 

7. Rushing Fall 

8. X Y Jet

9. Elate 

10. Seeking the Soul

Older Males

1.  Bricks and Mortar – He picked up his fourth straight victory in the Manhattan Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park

2. Vino Rosso – His huge Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes (G1) victory means that he is a major player in the handicap division.

3. McKinzie – A big effort in the Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1) ended in a second-place finish.

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

5. Seeking the Soul – A nice win in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) has him in the conversation again.

Sleeper: Catholic Boy – He returned from a long layoff with a big win in the Dixie Stakes (G2) at Pimlico. This should be a huge year for him.

Older Females

1. Midnight Bisou – She is easily the top female after her fourth straight win in the Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park.

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. Rushing Fall – Her Just a Game Stakes (G1) win was ultra-impressive.

4. Elate – She got back to her winning ways in the Fleur de Lis Handicap (G2) at Churchill Downs.

5. She’s A Julie – After being pressed most of the way, she was still able to finish third in the Fleur de Lis Handicap (G2).

Sleeper: Blue Prize – It looks like she is starting to round into form just like last year after a solid run in the Fleur de Lis Handicap (G2).

3-Year-Old Males

1. War of Will – Somehow, he enters the summer as a very weak leader in the division. His three graded stakes victories tops the rest of this lackluster bunch.

2. Omaha Beach – This division is his for the taking – if he can come back with a strong summer campaign.

3. Maximum Security – His Pegasus Stakes (G3) loss knocked him down a couple of spots, but he could still easily get back to the top of this wide-open division.

4. Sir Winston – His Belmont Stakes (G1) win gives him a spot in the top five, but he still has some proving to do.

5. Tacitus – He ran well enough in the Belmont Stakes (G1) to think that his summer months of racing could be solid.

Sleeper: King for a Day – This up-and-comer could make some noise after defeating Maximum Security in the Pegasus Stakes (G3).

3-Year-Old Females

1. Serengeti Empress – She ran huge in the Acorn Stakes (G1); however, she had to settle for second. She has the lead in this division going into the summer but it’s wide open.

2. Guarana – There is no doubt she could easily end up #1 in this division. Her win in the Acorn Stakes (G1) was breathtaking and made her a perfect 2-for-2.

3. 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 with an eye on the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint over her home track at the end of the year.

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

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

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

Sprinters

1. Mitole – The Met Mile (G1) was the race of the year so far! This could end up being the best horse in the country, regardless of divisions.

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

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. Catalina Cruiser – His win in the True North Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park showed that he’s back and ready for a big 2019. It’s uncertain whether he will be a sprinter or distance horse this year.

Sleeper: Imprimis – This could be the next big turf sprinter. He really showed his class in the Shakertown Stakes (G2) at Keeneland and didn’t embarass himself with a sixth in the King’s Stand Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot.