America's Best Horses for June 7

Racing
Essential Quality (front left, blue jockey cap) moves up next to Hot Rod Charlie at the top of the Belmont Park stretch en route to winning the Belmont Stakes on June 5. (Hugh Ducey/NYRA Photo)

Each week members of the media around the country vote on the nation's top contenders on the Triple Crown trail in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. Find out the final 2021 top 3-year-old rankings below.


AMERICA’S TOP THOROUGHBREDS FOR JUNE 7, 2021

Joe Labozzetta/NYRA Photo

1. Essential Quality (37 first-place votes)

Owner: Godolphin

Trainer: Brad Cox

Jockey: Luis Saez

2021 record: 4 starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1stBelmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets, June 5 at Belmont Park

Next race: TBD


Coady Photography

2. Hot Rod Charlie 

Owners: Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing and William Strauss

Trainer:  Doug O'Neill

Jockey: Flavien Prat

2021 record: 4 starts – 1 win – 1 second – 2 thirds

Last race: 2ndBelmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets, June 5 at Belmont Park

Next race: TBD, possibly the TVG Haskell Invitational Stakes, July 17 at Monmouth Park


Eclipse Sportswire

3. Rombauer 

Owners: John and Diane Fradkin

Trainer: Michael McCarthy

Jockey: John Velazquez

2021 record: 4 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 2 thirds

Last race: 3rd,  Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets, June 5 at Belmont Park

Next race: TBD


Coady Photography

4. Mandaloun 

Owner: Juddmonte Farms

Trainer: Brad Cox

Jockey: Florent Geroux

2021 record: 4 starts –1 win – 1 second – 1 third

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

Next race: TBD


Eclipse Sportswire

5. Malathaat 

Owner: Shadwell Stable

Jockey: John Velazquez

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

2021 record: 2 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, Longines Kentucky Oaks, April 30 at Churchill Downs 

Next race: Coaching Club American Oaks, July 23 at Saratoga Race Course


Coady Photography

6. Medina Spirit 

Owner: Zedan Racing Stables

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Jockey: John Velazquez

2021 record: 6 starts – 2 wins – 3 seconds – 1 third

Last race: 3rdPreakness Stakes, May 15 at Pimlico Race Course

Next race: TBD


Eclipse Sportswire

7. Midnight Bourbon

Owners: Winchell Thoroughbreds

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

2021 record: 5 starts – 1 win – 2 seconds – 1 third

Last race: 2nd, Preakness Stakes, May 15 at Pimlico Race Course

Next race: TBD, possibly the TVG Haskell Invitational Stakes, July 17 at Monmouth Park 


Eclipse Sportswire

8. Search Results

Owner: Klaravich Stables

Trainer: Chad Brown

Jockey: Javier Castellano

2021 record: 5 starts – 4 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, Acorn Stakes, June 5 at Belmont Park

Next race: TBD


Joe Labozzetta/NYRA Photo

 9. Drain the Clock

Owners: Slam Dunk Racing, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables and Michael Nentwig

Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.

Jockey: Jose Ortiz

2021 record: 5 starts – 4 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Nassau Co. Industrial Development Agency, June 5 at Belmont Park

Next race: TBD


Eclipse Sportswire

10. Life Is Good 

Owners: WinStar Farm and CHC

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Jockey: Mike Smith

2021 record: 2 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, San Felipe Stakes, March 6 at Santa Anita Park

Next race: TBD, sidelined due to injury

newsletter sign-up

Stay up-to-date with the best from America's Best Racing!

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram TikTok YouTube
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram TikTok YouTube