Sovereignty Reigns in NTRA Poll, Breeders' Cup Rankings
Image:
Description:
Photo: Skip Dickstein
Sovereignty defeats Nitrogen in the Whitney Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
Godolphin's Sovereignty is atop the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Top Thoroughbred Poll following his 4 3/4-length, come-from-behind victory against a star-studded field in the Aug. 8 Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.
The Bill Mott trainee, who lost his first two starts of 2026 following his Horse of the Year campaign last year, shot up from fifth place after his emphatic victory over champion filly Nitrogen . The latter holds second in the poll, which is meant to reflect leading contenders for the honor of Horse of the Year, the most prestigious Eclipse Award.
Sovereignty received 27 first-place votes and 301 points in the latest poll, in which media members participate. Nitrogen trails him with 220 points, followed by the standout turf horse Deterministic🔥 , who received two first-place votes and 188 points. Magnitude , the previous poll leader, slipped to fourth with 183 points and two first-place votes.
Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Golden Tempo🔥 is the top-rated 3-year-old in fifth with 165 points, while 2025 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Forever Young is sixth at 163. Burnham Square🔥 , Book'em Danno , Knightsbridge🔥 , and Splendora round out the top 10.
The Top Thoroughbred Poll concludes Nov. 3, days after this fall's Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland. Individual votes by media members participating in the poll are available online.
Horse of the Year will be announced Jan. 19, 2027, during the Eclipse Award ceremony at The Breakers Palm Beach in South Florida.
See the full results for the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll
Sovereignty Also Leads BC Classic Rankings
Sovereignty is also ahead in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings.
The 4-year-old Into Mischief colt and the winner of last year's Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes earned 392 votes, which included 26 first-place votes.
Sovereignty, with Junior Alvarado aboard, wins the Whitney Stakes
Forever Young, the defending Breeders' Cup Classic winner and winner of the Saudi Cup (G1), is higher in these rankings than in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. He lands in second place with 360 votes, including 13 first-place votes, for owner Susumu Fujita and trainer Yoshito Yahagi.
Magnitude, Golden Tempo, Renegade , Knightsbridge, Nitrogen, Baeza🔥 , Commandment🔥 , and Antiquarian round out the top 10 of the Classic rankings.
The Classic rankings are determined by a panel of leading Thoroughbred racing media, horseplayers, and members of the Breeders' Cup Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel. Rankings will be published next Aug. 25, and continue Sept. 8, Sept. 22, Sept. 29, and concluding Oct. 6. A list of voting members can be found here.