The Rivalry That Never Was: Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta
Citizen Bull Stays Atop Triple Crown Poll, Three of Top 10 Meet in Sunday’s Rebel Stakes
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Each week, members of the national media vote on the nation's top contenders on the Triple Crown trail in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top Thoroughbred Poll.
Week 4 of the 2025 NTRA Top 3-Year-Old Thoroughbred Poll, covers races through Feb. 16. The leader in the poll remains 2-year-old champion Citizen Bull, who won his 3-year-old debut in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Feb. 1 and is being pointed to the Santa Anita Derby on April 5 for his next start.
The 3-year-old poll represents horses competing up to and through the Triple Crown. Rankings are based on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-1 voting system. First place votes are in parentheses.
AMERICA’S TOP 3-YEAR-OLD THOROUGHBREDS FOR FEB. 17, 2025
1. Citizen Bull (20 first-place votes)
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Martin Garcia
2025 record: 1 start – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Last race: 1st, Robert B. Lewis Stakes, Feb. 1 at Santa Anita Park
Next race: Santa Anita Derby, April 5 at Santa Anita Park
2. Barnes (3 first-place votes)
Owner: Zedan Racing Stables
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Juan Hernandez
2025 record: 1 start – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Last race: 1st, San Vicente Stakes, Jan. 4 at Santa Anita Park
Next race: DK Horse San Felipe Stakes, March 1 at Santa Anita Park
Owner: Whitham Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Ian Wilkes
Jockey: Edgard Zayas
2025 record: 1 start – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Last race: 1st, Holy Bull Stakes, Feb. 1 at Gulfstream Park
Next race: Fountain of Youth Stakes, March 1 at Gulfstream Park

4. Magnitude (1 first-place vote)
Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Ben Curtis
2025 record: 2 starts – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Last race: 10th, Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes, Feb. 15 at Fair Grounds
Next race: Sidelined through Kentucky Derby with an injury
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5. Disco Time
Owner: Juddmonte
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Florent Geroux
2025 record: 1 start – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Last race: 1st, Lecomte Stakes, Jan. 18 at Fair Grounds
Next race: Louisiana Derby, March 22 at Fair Grounds
6. Journalism (2 first-place votes)
Trainer: Michael McCarthy
Jockey: Umberto Rispoli
2025 record: 0 starts – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Last race: 1st, Los Alamitos Futurity, Dec. 14 at Los Alamitos
Next race: DK Horse San Felipe Stakes, March 1 at Santa Anita Park
7. John Hancock
Owners: CHC and WinStar Farm
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Flavien Prat
2025 record: 1 start – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Last race: 1st, Sam F. Davis Stakes, Feb. 8 at Tampa Bay Downs
Next race: Louisiana Derby, March 22 at Fair Grounds
8. Speed King
Owner: Triton Thoroughbreds, Naber Racing, Bryan Hennigan, Doug Rapier, and Ron Micetic
Trainer: Ron Moquett
Jockey: Rafael Bejarano
2025 record: 1 start – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Last race: 1st, Southwest Stakes, Jan. 25 at Oaklawn Park
Next race: Rebel Stakes, Feb. 23 at Oaklawn Park
9. Coal Battle
Owner: Norman Stables
Trainer: Lonnie Briley
Jockey: Juan Vargas
2025 record: 1 start – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Last race: 1st, Smarty Jones Stakes, Jan. 4 at Oaklawn Park
Next race: Rebel Stakes, Feb. 23 at Oaklawn Park
10. Sandman (1 first-place vote)
Owners: D. J. Stable LLC, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds, and CJ Stables
Trainer: Mark Casse
Jockey: Cristian Torres
2025 record: 1 start – 0 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds
Last race: 2nd, Southwest Stakes, Jan. 25 at Oaklawn Park
Next race: Rebel Stakes, Feb. 23 at Oaklawn Park