Rebel’s Romance scoring the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic. (Chelsea Durand)
Eclipse Award Champion Moves into Top 10
NTRA Top Thoroughbred Polls
With the Poll positions unmoved from No. 1 Sovereignty to No. 7 Book’em Danno, the final three in the top 10 have changed.
Godolphin’s homebred Rebel’s Romance (IRE) pops up at No. 8 after scoring big in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Aqueduct for trainer Charlie Appleby under Frankie Dettori.
The 7-year-old gelding has won 5 of 7 starts in 2025 and is looking to win the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T) for a record third time.
Pa. Derby winner Baeza moves to No. 9 with JC Gold Cup winner Antiquarian joining the Top 10 moving up from No. 11.
Week 36 of the 2025 NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll conducted by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), covering racing performances through September 28. Voting is conducted by national media.
The Top Thoroughbred poll represents horses competing for Horse of the Year. The Top Thoroughbred Poll concludes on Tuesday, November 4 following the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
TOP THOROUGHBRED POLL
| PLACE | HORSE | A-S | STATS | POINTS | PVS |
| 1 | SOVEREIGNTY (26) | 3-C | 6-5-1-0 | 277 | 1 |
| 2 | FIERCENESS | 4-C | 4-2-1-0 | 230 | 2 |
| 3 | MINDFRAME (1) | 4-C | 4-3-0-0 | 190 | 3 |
| 4 | SIERRA LEONE | 4-C | 4-1-2-1 | 176 | 4 |
| 5 | THORPEDO ANNA (1) | 4-F | 5-4-0-0 | 152 | 5 |
| 6 | JOURNALISM | 3-C | 7-4-3-0 | 129 | 6 |
| 7 | BOOK’EM DANNO | 4-G | 5-4-0-0 | 84 | 7 |
| 8 | REBEL’S ROMANCE | 7-G | 7-5-0-1 | 82 | N/A |
| 9 | BAEZA | 3-C | 7-2-3-2 | 42 | 8 |
| 10 | ANTIQUARIAN | 4-C | 4-2-2-0 | 31 | 11 |
Other horses receiving votes: NYSOS (22), DETERMINISTIC (19), NITROGEN (17), LOCKED (16), SHE FEELS PRETTY (16), JOHANNES (8), FORMIDABLE MAN (7), MYSTIK DAN (5), NEVADA BEACH (5), PATCH ADAMS (5), AG BULLET (5), FOREVER YOUNG (5), WHITE ABARRIO (5), RAGING TORRENT (3), CAVALIERI (3), GOLD PHOENIX (2), LAURELIN (2), DORTH VADER (1), SEISMIC BEAUTY (1)
Rankings on poll are on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-1 basis with first place votes in parentheses, 2025 record and total points. A-S: Age-Sex, Sex: C-colt, G-gelding, H-horse, F-filly, M-mare, R-ridgling.
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