NTRA THOROUGHBRED POLL

The three top-ranked Thoroughbreds in the land are headed for a dramatic showdown in this year’s $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 4. No wonder racing enthusiasts are eagerly looking forward to that particular Grade I event, which will be decided at 1 1/4 miles on the dirt.

Gun Runner, Arrogate and Collected occupy the top three positions .....NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll.

Here is this week’s ranking of America’s leading Thoroughbreds on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis:

Rank Points Horse (First-Place Votes)

385 Gun Runner (34)
336 Arrogate (4)
241 Collected
239 Lady Eli
234 Stellar Wind
111 Drefong
107 Mor Spirit
 96 West Coast (1)
 84 Forever Unbridled
65 Abel Tasman
Also receiving votes: Songbird (62 points), Lady Aurelia (41), Shaman Ghost (25), Keen Ice (16), Oscar Performance (15), Vale Dori (14) World Approval (13), Practical Joke (9), Elate (8), Whitmore (8), Cupid (8), Mind Your Biscuits (7), Unique Bella (4), Sadler’s Joy (4), Tapwrit (3), Neolithic (3), Sharp Azteca (2), Girvin (1), Voodoo Song (1), Rally Cry (1), Beach Patrol (1), Accelerate (1).

Remarkably, Hall of Famer Bob Baffert trains six of the Top 10 horses: Arrogate, Collected, Drefong, Mor Spirit, West Coast and Abel Tasman.

Gun Runner won the Grade III Razorback Handicap in February before finishing second to Arrogate in the Group I Dubai World Cup in March. Since his loss in Dubai, Gun Runner has won the Grade I Stephen Foster Handicap by seven lengths, Grade I Whitney Stakes by 5 1/4 lengths and Grade I Woodward Stakes by 10 1/4 lengths for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Arrogate won the Grade I Pegasus World Cup in January and Group I Dubai World Cup in March, then lost his next two races. He finished a well-beaten fourth in the Grade II San Diego Handicap and second in the Grade I Pacific Classic.

Collected is four for four this year. He won both the Santana Mile and Grade II Californian in April, the Grade III Precisionist Stakes in June and Grade I Pacific Classic in August.