Questing and Little Mike enter NTRA Poll

By: SPORTS NETWORK

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Respective victories in Saturday's Alabama and Arlington Million, have enabled Questing and Little Mike to join this week's NTRA National Thoroughbred Poll's top 10 for week 25. Keeping their hold, however, on the first three spots are Game On Dude, Mucho Macho Man and Wise Dan.

Three-year-old filly Questing destroyed the competition by nine lengths in the Alabama at Saratoga Race Course. Her effort was recognized by the voters with one first-place vote and 96 points to put her into ninth in the poll.

"She's definitely the best three-year-old filly in America on the dirt," said her trainer, Kiaran McLaughlin. "She's a special filly."

The Arlington Million was a cakewalk for Little Mike. Trained by Dale Romans, the five-year-old gelding led every step of the way in the 1 1/4 mile turf race. Little Mike joins the poll in 10th with 84 points.

"He was running very comfortable. Turning for home when I decided to let him run, he beautifully started opening up," said Little Mike's jockey Ramon Dominguez. "I wasn't sure how slow we were going. I got to the three-eighths pole and he started to open it up. I tried to slow him down to this point (before) but from now on I'm going to let him spring home. He galloped home like a freight train. It feels great (to win my second Arlington Million)."

Game On Dude, training for Sunday's Pacific Classic, is solidly in first with 18 first-place votes and 338 points. This is the five-year-old gelding's seventh week atop the poll.

Mucho Macho Man, prepping for the Woodward at Saratoga on Sept. 1, is second with five top votes and 275 points.

"Mucho Macho Man is doing great," said owner Dean Reeves after the colt's Sunday workout. "It was a good, solid work, and we're excited about the Woodward."

Wise Dan remains third in the voting with two first-place votes and 244 points.

Champion filly Royal Delta climbs a rung to fourth with a single first-place vote and 229 points. The four-year-old, trained by Bill Mott, will start Sunday in Saratoga's Personal Ensign.

Five-year-old Ron the Greek slips to fifth with one top vote and 223 points.

Filling out the top 10 are Fort Larned (1, 193), I'll Have Another (9, 145) and Acclamation (2, 128).