As the year comes to a close, it’s time to focus on 2018. The start of a new year always means that the Kentucky Derby trail is ready to heat up, but several solid horses are also set to return in the older male and female divisions, too.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Gun Runner is set to return in 2018, though only for one race: the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup, the first major event of the racing season. After the Pegasus, Gun Runner will retire to stud, but a host of other horses will just be getting started. The Bob Baffert barn will feature two horses in the race: West Coast and Collected. West Coast will be the 3-Year Old Horse of the Year for 2017 and should get even better at the age of 4. Collected is most likely to be runner-up for Horse of the Year after finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic to Gun Runner.
Another horse of note coming back for 2018 is Forever Unbridled. An undefeated three-for-three in 2017, her final win came in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. The mare was rumored to be making a start in the Pegasus World Cup against the boys, but her connections ultimately opted out of it. Instead, the Grade 1 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park could be her first target for 2018.
With all of that being said, when January rolls around, the 3-year-olds will take center stage leading up to the first Saturday in May, and the crop looks very strong. The headliners going into 2018 are Good Magic, Bolt d’Oro, and Solomini. Good Magic won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile over the other two mentioned, but Bolt d’Oro was stellar in 2017 with a pair of Grade 1 victories. Solomini ran second in two Grade 1 races before “winning” the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity to end the year (he was ultimately disqualified and placed third for a questionable interference call). There are also several lightly-raced prospects waiting their turns to prove that they can take down the already-established horses. When some of these horses start to clash, it will be MUST-WATCH racing!
Hype is what the game is built on and what makes it great. You better believe that we are ready for 2018! Below, we are hyping the top 100 horses for 2018. Whether you use this list for your fantasy horse racing drafts or are just excited and want to get a head start on the new year, here’s a ranking of the top 100 horses that we believe will make a big impact in 2018.
1. West Coast
2. Good Magic
3. Bolt d’Oro
4. Forever Unbridled
5. Unique Bella
6. Collected
7. Solomini
8. McKinzie
9. Paradise Woods
10. Gun Runner (NOTE: he would be #1, but he’s expected to only run once in 2018)
11. Principe Guilherme
12. World Approval
13. Catholic Boy
14. Instilled Regard
15. Abel Tasman
16. Rushing Fall
17. Mo Town
18. Greyvitos
19. Separationofpowers
20. Copper Bullet
21. Dak Attack
22. Montauk
23. Elate
24. Road to Victory
25. Sharp Azteca
26. Diversify
27. Monomoy Girl
28. Untamed Domain
29. Oscar Performance
30. Caledonia Road
31. Alluring Star
32. Dream Tree
33. Sporting Chance
34. Seeking the Soul
35. Vale Dori
36. Restoring Hope
37. It Tiz Well
38. Free Drop Billy
39. Roy H
40. Mask
41. Mind Your Biscuits
42. Beach Patrol
43. Imperial Hint
44. Moonshine Memories
45. Noble Indy
46. Navistar
47. Engage
48. Wonder Gadot
49. Mendelssohn
50. Zulfikhar
51. Tiz Mischief
52. Marconi
53. Blonde Bomber
54. Enticed
55. Avery Island
56. Vision
57. Hollywood Star
58. Good Samaritan
59. City of Light
60. Bowies Hero
61. Salty
62. Stallwalkin’ Dude
63. Mourinho
64. Combatant
65. Fly So High
66. Curlin’s Honor
67. Vino Rosso
68. Nero
69. Miss Mo Mentum
70. Cambodia
71. Sharp Samurai
72. Daddys Lil Darling
73. Patrona Margarita
74. Cool Bobby
75. Giant Expectations
76. Big Score
77. Accelerate
78. Mis Mischief
79. Transgress
80. Favorable Outcome
81. Mubtaahij
82. Lewis Bay
83. Money’soncharlotte
84. Miss Sky Warrior
85. Takaful
86. Valadorna
87. Mopotism
88. Pavel
89. Rubilinda
90. Cosmic Burst
91. Curlin’s Approval
92. Kroy
93. Beasley
94. Om
95. Edwards Going Left
96. Analyze It
97. On Leave
98. Faithfully
99. X Y Jet
100. New York Hero
