Every week, members of the nationwide media vote on the nation’s high contenders on the Triple Crown path within the Nationwide Thoroughbred Racing Affiliation (NTRA) High Thoroughbred Ballot.
Week 2 of the 2025 NTRA High 3-12 months-Previous Thoroughbred Ballot, covers races by Feb. 2. The chief within the ballot stays 2-year-old champion Citizen Bull, who gained his 3-year-old debut within the Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Feb. 1. and doubled his first-place votes to 24. New to the highest 10 this week are Feb. 1 Holy Bull Stakes winner Burnham Sq. and Feb. 1 Withers Stakes winner Captain Cook dinner.
The three-year-old ballot represents horses competing as much as and thru the Triple Crown. Rankings are primarily based on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-1 voting system. First place votes are in parentheses.
AMERICA’S TOP 3-YEAR-OLD THOROUGHBREDS FOR FEB. 3, 2025
1. Citizen Bull (24 first-place votes)
Coach: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Martin Garcia
2025 file: 1 begin – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Final race: 1st, Robert B. Lewis Stakes, Feb. 1 at Santa Anita Park
Subsequent race: TBD, presumably DK Horse San Felipe Stakes, March 1 at Santa Anita Park
2. Barnes (2 first-place votes)
Proprietor: Zedan Racing Stables
Coach: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Juan Hernandez
2025 file: 1 begin – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Final race: 1st, San Vicente Stakes, Jan. 4 at Santa Anita Park
Subsequent race: Insurgent Stakes, Feb. 22 at Oaklawn Park or DK Horse San Felipe Stakes, March 1 at Santa Anita Park
3. East Avenue
Proprietor: Godolphin
Coach: Brendan Walsh
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
2025 file: 0 begins – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Final race: ninth, FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile offered by TAA, Nov. 1, 2024 at Del Mar
Subsequent race: Risen Star Stakes, Feb. 15 at Honest Grounds
4. Burnham Sq.
Proprietor: Whitham Thoroughbreds
Coach: Ian Wilkes
Jockey: Edgard Zayas
2025 file: 1 begin – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Final race: 1st, Holy Bull Stakes, Feb. 1 at Gulfstream Park
Subsequent race: Fountain of Youth Stakes, March 1 at Gulfstream Park
5. Disco Time
Proprietor: Juddmonte
Coach: Brad Cox
Jockey: Florent Geroux
2025 file: 1 begin – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Final race: 1st, Lecomte Stakes, Jan. 18 at Honest Grounds
Subsequent race: Risen Star Stakes, Feb. 15 at Honest Grounds or Insurgent Stakes, Feb. 22 at Oaklawn Park
6. Pace King
Proprietor: Triton Thoroughbreds
Coach: Ron Moquett
Jockey: Rafael Bejarano
2025 file: 1 begin – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Final race: 1st, Southwest Stakes, Jan. 25 at Oaklawn Park
Subsequent race: Insurgent Stakes, Feb. 22 at Oaklawn Park
7. Coal Battle
Proprietor: Norman Stables
Coach: Lonnie Briley
Jockey: Juan Vargas
2025 file: 1 begin – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Final race: 1st, Smarty Jones Stakes, Jan. 4 at Oaklawn Park
Subsequent race: Insurgent Stakes, Feb. 22 at Oaklawn Park
Proprietor: St. Elias Steady
Coach: Richard Dutrow Jr.
Jockey: Manny Franco
2025 file: 1 begin – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Final race: 1st, Withers Stakes, Feb. 1 at Aqueduct
Subsequent race: Wooden Memorial Stakes, April 5 at Aqueduct
9. Journalism (1 first-place vote)
House owners: Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Steady, Eclipse Thoroughbred Companions, Elayne Stables 5 LLC and LaPenta, Robert V.
Coach: Michael McCarthy
Jockey: Umberto Rispoli
2025 file: 0 begins – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Final race: 1st, Los Alamitos Futurity, Dec. 14 at Los Alamitos
Subsequent race: DK Horse San Felipe Stakes, March 1 at Santa Anita Park
10. Sandman (1 first-place vote)
House owners: D. J. Steady LLC, St. Elias Steady, West Level Thoroughbreds, and CJ Stables
Coach: Mark Casse
Jockey: Cristian Torres
2025 file: 1 begin – 0 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds
Final race: 2nd, Southwest Stakes, Jan. 25 at Oaklawn Park
Subsequent race: Insurgent Stakes, Feb. 22 at Oaklawn Park
