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 18 of the 2026 NTRA Top 3-year-old Thoroughbred Poll covers races through May 125. Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve winner Golden Tempo continues to occupy the No. 1 ranking with a week and a half remaining until the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets scheduled for June 6 at Saratoga.

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 MAY 25, 2026

Coady Media

1. Golden Tempo (18 first-place votes)

Owners: Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable

Trainer: Cherie DeVaux

Jockey: Jose Ortiz

2026 record: 4 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 2 thirds

Last race: 1^st, Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, May 2 at Churchill Downs

Next race: Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, June 6 at Saratoga

Coady Media

2. Renegade (7 first-place votes)

Owners: Robert Low, Lawana Low, and Repole Stable

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

2026 record: 3 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Last race: 2^nd, Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, May 2 at Churchill Downs

Next race: Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, June 6 at Saratoga

Eclipse Sportswire

3. Napoleon Solo (2 first-place votes)

Owner: Gold Square

Trainer: Chad Summers

Jockey: Paco Lopez

2026 record: 3 starts – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1^st, Preakness Stakes, May 16 at Laurel Park

Next race: NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes, July 18 at Monmouth Park

Coady Media

4. Crude Velocity

Owner: CSLR Racing Partners

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Jockey: Florent Geroux

2026 record: 3 starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1^st, Pat Day Mile Stakes Presented by SAP, May 2 at Churchill Downs

Next race: Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Mohegan Sun, June 6 at Saratoga

Anne M. Eberhardt/BloodHorse

5. Chief Wallabee

Owners: Michael Ball and Katherine G. Ball

Trainer: Bill Mott

Jockey: Junior Alvarado

2026 record: 4 starts – 1 win – 1 second – 1 third

Last race: 4^th, Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, May 2 at Churchill Downs

Next race: Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, June 6 at Saratoga

Eclipse Sportswire

6. Commandment 

Owner: Wathnan Racing

Trainer: Brad Cox

Jockey: Luis Saez

2026 record: 4 starts– 3 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 7^th, Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, May 2 at Churchill Downs

Next race: Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, June 6 at Saratoga

Coady Media

7. Stark Contrast

Owner: Amerman Racing

Trainer: Michael McCarthy

Jockey: Flavien Prat

2026 record: 3 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Last race: 1^st, American Turf Stakes, May 2 at Churchill Downs

Next race: TBD

Coady Media

8. Always a Runner

Owners: Douglas Scharbauer and Three Chimneys Farm, LLC (Goncalo B. Torrealba)

Trainer: Chad Brown

Jockey: Jose Ortiz

2026 record: 3 starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1^st, Longines Kentucky Oaks, May 1 at Churchill Downs

Next race: DraftKings Acorn Stakes, June 5 at Saratoga

Jeffrey Snyder/Maryland Jockey Club

9. Iron Honor

Owners: St. Elias Stable, William H. Lawrence, and Cathi Glassman

Trainer: Chad Brown

Jockey: Flavien Prat

2026 record: 3 starts – 1 win – 1 second – 0 thirds

Last race: 2^nd, Preakness Stakes, May 16 at Laurel Park

Next race:  Possibly NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes, July 18 at Monmouth Park

Coady Media

10. The Puma

Owners: OGMA Investments, JR Ranch, and High Step Racing

Trainer: Gustavo Delgado

Jockey: Javier Castellano

2026 record: 4 starts – 1 win – 2 seconds – 1 third

Last race: 2^nd, Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa, March 28 at Gulfstream Park

Next race: Possibly NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes, July 18 at Monmouth Park