Citizen Bull, White Abarrio take top spots in 1st NTRA polls
Photo:
Shamela Hanley / Eclipse Sportswire
Citizen Bull was voted the top 3-year-old and White Abarrio the top Thoroughbred in the first National Thoroughbred Racing Association poll of 2025.
Citizen Bull, the 2-year-old champion of 2024, will make his first start of the year Saturday in the Robert B. Lewis at Santa Anita. Trained by Bob Baffert, the Into Mischief colt is 4-for-4, including wins in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Grade 1 American Pharoah and Del Mar Futurity (G1).
Barnes, another Into Mischief colt trained by Baffert, was second in the voting. He’s 2-for-2 after winning the San Vicente (G2) at Santa Anita on Jan. 4.
NTRA top 3-year-old poll
| Rank | Horse | 2025 record | Points | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Citizen Bull (12) | 0: 0-0-0 | 222 | Bob Baffert |
| 2 | Barnes (9) | 1: 1-0-0 | 202 | Bob Baffert |
| 3 | East Avenue | 0: 0-0-0 | 141 | Brendan Walsh |
| 4 | Disco Time | 1: 1-0-0 | 109 | Brad Cox |
| 5 | Speed King (1) | 1: 1-0-0 | 104 | Ron Moquett |
| 6 | Coal Battle | 1: 1-0-0 | 92 | Lonnie Briley |
| 7 | Journalism (2) | 0: 0-0-0 | 87 | Michael McCarthy |
| 8 | Chancer McPatrick | 0: 0-0-0 | 86 | Chad Brown |
| 9 | Sandman (1) | 1: 0-1-0 | 76 | Mark Casse |
| 10 | Sovereignty | 0: 0-0-0 | 50 | Bill Mott |
Saffie Joseph Jr. trains three of the top 10 horses in the top Thoroughbred poll, led by Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) winner White Abarrio in the top spot. Skippylongstocking, third in the Pegasus, is ranked no. 8, and Be Your Best, winner of the Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf (G2), is no. 9.
Second on the list is 2024 horse of the year Thorpedo Anna, who is expected to make her 2025 debut in the Azeri (G2) at Oalkawn on March 8.
NTRA top Thoroughbred poll
| Rank | Horse | Age-Sex | 2025 record | Points | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | White Abarrio (12) | 6-H | 1: 1-0-0 | 233 | Saffie Joseph Jr. |
| 2 | Thorpedo Anna (14) | 4-F | 0: 0-0-0 | 207 | Kenny McPeek |
| 3 | Sierra Leone | 4-C | 0: 0-0-0 | 187 | Chad Brown |
| 4 | Locked | 4-C | 1: 0-1-0 | 151 | Todd Pletcher |
| 5 | Fierceness | 4-C | 0: 0-0-0 | 129 | Todd Pletcher |
| 6 | Spirit of St Louis | 6-G | 1: 1-0-0 | 73 | Chad Brown |
| 7 | Straight No Chaser | 6-H | 0: 0-0-0 | 71 | Dan Blacker |
| 8 | Skippylongstocking | 6-H | 1: 0-0-1 | 42 | Saffie Joseph Jr. |
| 9 | Be Your Best | 5-M | 1: 1-0-0 | 39 | Saffie Joseph Jr. |
| 10 | Hit Show | 5-H | 1: 1-0-0 | 35 | Brad Cox |
Voting for the NTRA polls is conducted by national media. The 3-year-old poll represents horses competing up and through the Triple Crown.
The top Thoroughbred poll represents horses competing for horse of the year and will conclude Tuesday, Nov. 4, after the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
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