Top 5 Best Horses Right Now | November 6, 2023: Post Breeders’ Cup Rankings

Our weekly rankings of the top 5 best horses right now by division in America are always right & never wrong. Except sometimes. See why!

Check out Aaron’s top 5 for every division following the results of the 2023 Breeders’ Cup World Championships! Tell us YOUR top 5s in the Comments section!

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Overall Rankings

Here are my overall rankings as seen in the latest NTRA Top 10 Poll this week. The poll ranks the top thoroughbred horses based on if Horse of the Year voting was conducted at this very moment. Here’s what my last Top 10 poll looked like:

1. Cody’s Wish
2. White Abarrio
3. Elite Power
4. Up to the Mark
5. Idiomatic
6. Goodnight Olive
7. Arcangelo
8. Master of the Seas
9. Echo Zulu
10. Arabian Knight

Older Males

1. Cody’s Wish – His story ends with a triumphant win in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

2. White Abarrio – He was dominant in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).

3. Up to the Mark – He was oh so close to another massive win, this time in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1); however, he still was fantastic to finish second.

4. Master of the Seas – He capped off his 3-race North American tour by winning the Breeders Cup Mile (G1).

5. Casa Creed – The Fourstardave Handicap (G1) repeat winner ran a stellar 3rd in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1).

Sleeper: Proxy – He was consistent all season long prior to finishing 3rd in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).

Older Females

1. Idiomatic – She capped off a great season with a big win in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1).

2. Goodnight Olive – She made it back-to-back Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) victories with a runaway win.

3. Echo Zulu – Unfortunately, the clear Sprint division leader at the time was injured while training for the Breeders’ Cup & will retire to broodmare duties.

4. Clairiere – She was consistent throughout her career but never seemed to show up with her best effort in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1).

5. Le Da Vida – She was closing fast but came up just short in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1).

Sleeper: Adare Manor – She will bounce back when facing a bit easier of company.

3-Year-Old Males

1. Arcangelo – The Belmont Stakes (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1) champion retired to stud after scratching from the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) with a foot injury.

2 Arabian Knight – He was a decent fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).

3. Geaux Rocket Ride – His second-place effort in the Pacific Classic (G1) was unfortunately his final start in career cut way too short.

4. Forte – He retired to stud prior to the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) after a foot injury wouldn’t heal in time.

5. Saudi Crown – He just couldn’t handle the pace and distance in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).

Sleeper: Mage – It’s looking more and more like his Kentucky Derby (G1) win was an outlier.

3-Year-Old Females

1. Maple Leaf Mel – She was 1 stride away from defeating multiple Grade 1 winner Pretty Mischievous by 6 lengths before her tragic breakdown.

2. Pretty Mischievous – She was a solid second in the Cotillion Stakes (G1) but scratched from the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) with a 4-year-old campaign in mind.

3. Randomized – She nearly pulled off a big win in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1).

4. Ceiling Crusher – She arrived on the scene in a big way after a nice win in the Cotillion Stakes (G1).

5. Wet Paint – She struggled in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1).

Sleeper: Nobody – This group has been pretty lackluster once you get past the top few horses.

Sprinters

1. Elite Power – His brilliant career ended with in another huge win in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).

2. Gunite – He could have won this division most years, but he just wasn’t good enough to consistently beat the top horse.

3. The Chosen Vron – He showed in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) that he’s a cut below the top two horses.

4. Dr. Schivel – Same with this guy: a solid sprinter who’s just not as good as the top 2 horses.

5. Anarchist – He finally got a big win in the Pat O’Brien Stakes (G2) at Del Mar.

Sleeper: Nakatomi – He showed up with a big third-place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).

2-Year-Old Males

1. Fierceness – Wow, what an effort to dominate the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).

2. Muth – He was very good in a runner-up effort in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).

3. Locked – Too little too late for him as he came flying up for third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).

4. Timberlake – He was ok; however, he did not threaten in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).

5. Prince of Monaco – He suffered his first loss in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).

Sleeper: West Saratoga – He surprised many by winning the Iroquois Stakes (G3).

2-Year-Old Females

1. Just F Y I – She was fantastic in her win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).

2. Candied – She came running late but could do no better than third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).

3. Hard to Justify – Her effort was huge in a big time victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).

4. Jody’s Pride – She nearly got up for a big upset in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).

5. Tamara – She was too bad to believe in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) & exited with a minor injury that will hopefully heal in time for a try on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) trail.

Sleeper: Ways and Means – She was a tough-luck second in the Spinaway Stakes (G1) but was reportedly injured after the race.