Havre de Grace regains first in NTRA Poll

By: SPORTS NETWORK

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Losses and upsets over the weekend resulted in changes in this week's NTRA Polls. Havre de Grace moved back into first in the National Poll, while the Three-Year-Old Poll grew tighter.

Reigning Horse of the Year Havre de Grace benefited from a loss in Dubai by Game On Dude to reclaim first in the National Poll. Owned by Fox Hill Farm, the five-year-old mare received 31 first-place votes and 450 points. She is preparing to run in the Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park on April 13.

Mucho Macho Man, perfect in two starts, is second with 16 top votes and 407 points.

Also climbing a rung is Santa Anita Handicap winner Ron the Greek. The five- year-old is a distant third with 254 points.

Game On Dude finished 12th in Saturday's Dubai World Cup and was penalized for it by dropping from first to fourth with one top vote and 226 points.

"It was a good trip considering everything that happened," said the gelding's jockey Chantal Sutherland. "The horse next to him was acting up in the gate, so he thought they were going to break. At home we break quicker, so he went to go forward and then he sat down. He just got a little frazzled after not breaking so great. Then he relaxed. He was good and on the backside he just wanted to get into his rhythm. So I did what I always do, and let him try to get there and I waited. The track is very tiring."

Rounding out the top 10 are Awesome Maria (203), Awesome Feather (197), Hymn Book (186), Acclamation (160), Caleb's Posse (119) and New Orleans Handicap champ Nates Mineshaft (2, 97).

Union Rags finished third as the 2-5 favorite in Saturday's Florida Derby. However, the colt remains atop the Three-Year-Old Poll with 22 first-place votes and 440 points.

"I'm not going to trade with anybody. It's just unfortunate how it turned out today, but he can't help that. It was just one of those things," said trainer Michael Matz after the Florida Derby.

Creative Cause, set for Saturday's Santa Anita Derby, remains second with 12 top votes and 418 points. Also holding position is champion colt Hansen in third with 13 first-place votes and 398 points. The Eclipse Award winner will start on April 14 at Keeneland in the Blue Grass Stakes.

Florida Derby winner Take Charge Indy enters the top 10 with 253 points.

"This horse, he has the potential; he has the breeding behind him. Pat's (trainer Patrick Byrne) been to the big dance, so he wasn't coming to play, I'll tell you that," the colt's jockey Calvin Borel said.

Alpha stays in fifth with 188 points followed by Secret Circle (174), Gemologist (1, 172), I'll Have Another (2, 153), Bodemeister (123) and El Padrino (75).