American Pharoah goes to top of 3-year-old poll

By: SPORTS NETWORK

New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - American Pharoah, coming off a decisive win Saturday, is now the top rated 3-year-old thoroughbred and advanced, as well, in the NTRA National Thoroughbred Poll.

Trained by Bob Baffert, American Pharoah crushed the competition by eight lengths in the $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park as the colt made his final start before the Kentucky Derby on May 2.

"Bob Baffert didn't want me to win by that many lengths," jockey Victor Espinoza said, "but sometimes you can't help it. I know it's only three weeks until the Kentucky Derby and you want to save as much as you can for that race.

"But with a horse like him, he does things so easy, it was all I could do."

Voters rewarded American Pharoah with 22 first-place votes and 406 points to leap over stablemate Dortmund who received 19 top votes and 402 points one week after his win in the Santa Anita Derby. American Pharoah climbed also in the national rankings from 10th to sixth-place.

Blue Grass Stakes winner Carpe Diem and Louisiana Derby winner International Star each received one top vote for 338 and 239 points, repsectively. Florida Derby champ Materiality remains fifth with 221 points followed by Sunland Derby champ Firing Line (200), Wood Memorial winner Frosted (200), Upstart (142), Arkansas Derby runner-up Far Right (56) and El Kabeir (46).

Shared Belief continues as the unanimous selection in the overall rankings. The 4-year-old gelding, slated to start in Saturday's Charles Town Classic, received all 43 first-place votes for 430 points.

Reigning Horse of the Year California Chrome remains in second-place with 347 points followed by Eclipse Award winner Main Sequence (248), Honor Code (220), Constitution (196), American Pharoah (147), Dortmund (143), Lea (136), Bayern (99) and Oaklawn Handicap winner Race Day (79).