The sovereignty of the dual classic winners remains at the forefront in the latest NTRA Top Thoroughbred voting for Week 3, originally reported by the Paulick Report. The son of Into Mischief claimed the top spot in the poll following a Grade 2 victory at the Jim Dandy Stakes. Sovereignty, who won both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, is aiming for his third major win of the season in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes on August 23rd. Trained by Bill Mott, the horse has an impressive record this year, including wins at the G2 Jim Dandy and G2 Blue Grass Stakes, with his only defeat coming as runner-up in the G1 Florida Derby.
In second place is Mindframe, owned by Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables LLC and trained by Todd Pletcher. The 4-year-old remains unbeaten in 2025, with victories in the G1 Stephen Foster, G1 Churchill Downs Stakes, and G2 Gulfstream Park Mile. Sierra Leone, winner of the G1 Whitney Stakes, holds the third position in the poll. Trained by Chad Brown and a son of Gun Runner, Sierra Leone secured his Whitney win on August 2nd in Saratoga, having placed second in the Stephen Foster and third in the G2 New Orleans Classic this year.
None of the top 10 contenders in the NTRA poll are expected to race in the upcoming weekend’s events. However, No. 5 Thorpedo Anna and No. 7 Bookem Danno will compete in respective division races on the Travers undercard on August 23rd. The final weekend of August might feature clashes between Mindframe and Sierra Leone at the G1 Pacific Classic and G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on August 30th and 31st, respectively.
Other notable horses receiving votes include Highland Falls, White Abarrio, Methods and Means, The Beauty of the Earthquake, She is Beautiful, Magnitude, Keep Minds, El Cordobes, Baeza, Fort Washington, Leurelin, Ewing, Gosger, Forever Young, and Sweet Azteca. The weekly Top Thoroughbred Voting reflects the leading candidates for Horse of the Year, ranked on a points system from 10 down to 1 based on votes received.
Fan Take: This update on the NTRA Top Thoroughbred standings is crucial for racing fans as it highlights the leading contenders shaping the narrative of the sport’s elite competitions. The upcoming clashes between top horses like Sovereignty, Mindframe, and Sierra Leone promise thrilling races that could redefine this year’s Horse of the Year contenders and invigorate fan engagement in the sport.
