Racing Dudes Divisional Rankings 7/31/19: Major Rankings Shake Up

Welcome to the 2019 Divisional Rankings! 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 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. World of Trouble 

4. Sistercharlie  

5. Mitole 

6. Vino Rosso 

7. McKinize 

8. Elate

9. Maximum Security 

10. Imperial Hint

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. The Whitney Stakes (G1) is up next for him. 

3. McKinzie – A big effort in the Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1) ended in a second-place finish. He’ll also run in the Whitney Stakes (G1) this weekend.  

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. Catalina Cruiser – He’s come back with two big wins in 2019, including the San Diego Handicap (G2) for the second straight year.

Sleeper: Preservationist – His runaway win in the Suburban Handicap (G2) showed that he could become a player in this division. If he can win again in the Whitney Stakes (G1), then he’ll shoot up the list. 

Older Females

1. Midnight Bisou – Forget top older female, this rapidly-improving filly is making a case for Horse of the Year.

2. Sistercharlie – The big mare is back in a major way after earning a career-best 105 Beyer in her Diana Stakes (G1) triumph.

3. Elate – The Delaware Handicap (G2) proved that she is back to her top form, giving her two straight powerful victories.

4. Rushing Fall – There is no disgrace in finishing second to her stablemate Sistercharlie in the Diana.

5. Monomoy Girl – We haven’t seen her run this year, and there is no word on when she might make her next start, but she belongs here based on class and talent. On July 14, she finally returned to trainer Brad Cox’s barn.

Sleeper: Ollie’s Candy – She qualified for the Breeders’ Cup by winning the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1).

3-Year-Old Males

1. Maximum Security – He left no doubt with an impressive victory in the Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1).

2. Omaha Beach – He’s pointing to make his long-awaited return in the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar in late August, with the Breeder’s Cup Classic being the ultimate goal.

3. Mr. Money – Three wins in a row mean a lot in this division, which is what he accomplished when taking home the Indiana Derby (G3).

4. Shancelot – After his amazing win in the Amsterdam Stakes (G2), it’s hard to deny that he could end up being the best in this division. 

5. Tax – Winning the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) earned him a spot in the rankings. He has always been a consistent horse. 

Sleeper: Game Winner – Quietly, he looks to be in great form heading into the Travers Stakes (G1) after easily winning the Los Alamitos Derby (G3).

3-Year-Old Females

1. Guarana – A win around two turns in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) makes her the top horse in this division by a decent margin.

2. Serengeti Empress – She ran huge in the Acorn Stakes (G1); however, she had to settle for second. Her connections have said that the Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner will likely stay racing around one turn.

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. Dunbar Road – An ultra-impressive Mother Gooses Stakes (G2) triumph served notice that she will be a player in this division the rest of the season.

5. Point of Honor – There was no shame in finishing second to Guarana in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1). Now, she moves on to the Alabama Stakes (G1), where she’ll have a better shot at winning.

Sleeper: Covfefe – She lost to older horses in the Roxelana Overnight Stakes, but she earned much respect in defeat.

Sprinters

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

2. Mitole – The Met Mile (G1) was the race of the year so far, but he followed that up by losing the Vanderbilt Handicap (G1). It was his first in eight starts, but he gets a pass after getting stuck on a dead rail.

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

4.Imperial Hint – He’s back in a major way after setting a track record in his Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) victory. 

5. Promises Fulfilled – His John A. Nerud Stakes (G2) win earned him an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).

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