With just over a month remaining until the Breeders’ Cup World Championships take place at Santa Anita Park November 1-2, multiple Grade 1 winner Bricks and Mortar continues to hold a comfortable lead in the weekly NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll.
Bricks and Mortar’s most recent victory came on August 10 when he captured the Grade 1 Arlington Million XXXVII Stakes, his sixth straight triumph and fourth career top-level win. The son of Giant’s Causeway earned 32 first-place votes and 365 points this week to maintain his lead position while a decision regarding his next start is pending.
Steve Asmussen-trainee Midnight Bisou, unbeaten in six starts this year, remains second in the poll with 3 first-place votes and 303 points. The daughter of Midnight Lute continues to prepare for her expected start in the Grade 2 Beldame Stakes at Belmont Park this Saturday, working a half-mile in :49.81 at Saratoga on September 22.
“She’s just an incredible horse to be around,” co-owner Jeff Bloom told NYRA’s publicity team of Midnight Bisou. “She’s got that presence that shows she’s a competitor, but she loves people. As long as you have a peppermint or a carrot in your hand, she’ll be your best friend. Once she gets that saddle put on her and she steps foot on the track, she’s focused on her job.”
The Bob Baffert-trained McKinzie sits third with 2 first-place votes and 281 points but is in position to make some noise this week with a scheduled start in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on September 28. Fellow Grade 1 winner Mitole holds in fourth with 251 points with champion Sistercharlie (IRE) fifth with 232 points.
Catalina Cruiser (90 points) is sixth followed by Imperial Hint (83), who is on target for the Grade 1 Vosburgh Stakes this weekend at Belmont Park. World of Trouble, who has not raced since his victory in the Grade 1 Jaipur Invitational Stakes on June 8, and Elate are tied for eighth with 77 points while Code of Honor (74 points) rounds out the top 10.
The Top Thoroughbred Poll wraps up November 4 after the running of the Breeders’ Cup.
The NTRA Top Thoroughbred polls are the sport’s most comprehensive surveys of experts. Every week eligible journalists and broadcasters cast votes for their top 10 horses, with points awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. All horses that have raced in the U.S., are in training in the U.S., or are known to be pointing to a major event in the U.S. are eligible for the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll.
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