Despite neither horse having raced this past weekend, Fierceness has emerged from his tie with White Abarrio to lead the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Top Thoroughbred Poll released May 28.
Repole Stable and the Coolmore partners' Fierceness showed no signs of rust in his 4-year-old debut, the May 2 Alysheba Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs, setting a track record of 1:40.66 for the 1 1/16-mile distance. In the two NTRA polls preceding the one released Wednesday, he was elevated into a tie for first place with White Abarrio, who has won the Pegasus World Cup (G1) and Ghostzapper Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park this year, by the members of the national media who vote.
Despite being tied in points, White Abarrio had held an advantage in the number of first-place votes received. He still held that advantage by seven votes Wednesday, but with his placement in the top 10 from the voters who did not award him the top spot, he has fallen six points behind Fierceness. Twenty-eight voters cast their vote this week, two less than the week prior.
One of the pair will have the opportunity to solidify themselves in the No. 1 spot June 7 when they meet in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.
In the 3-year-old poll, Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Journalism maintained an 11-point lead over Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Sovereignty ahead of their rematch in the June 7 Belmont Stakes (G1).
See the full week 18 rankings.
