America's Best Horses for March 22

Racing
Hot Rod Charlie (#5) leads Midnight Bourbon (#7) and the rest of the Louisiana Derby field into the first turn on March 20 en route to a gate-to-wire victory. (Eclipse Sportswire)

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. The poll will run weekly through June 5. Find out the latest 2021 top 3-year-old rankings below.


AMERICA’S TOP THOROUGHBREDS FOR MARCH 22, 2021

Eclipse Sportswire

1. Essential Quality (30 first-place votes)

Owner: Godolphin

Trainer: Brad Cox

Jockey: Luis Saez

2021 record: 1 start – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, Southwest Stakes, Feb. 27 at Oaklawn Park

Next race: Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, April 3 at Keeneland Race Course


Coady Photography

2. Concert Tour (7 first-place votes)

Owners: Gary and Mary West

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Jockey: Joel Rosario

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

Last race: 1st, Rebel Stakes, March 13 at Oaklawn Park

Next race: Arkansas Derby, April 10 at Oaklawn Park


Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photo

3. Greatest Honour (2 first-place votes)

Owner: Courtlandt Farms

Trainer: Shug McGaughey

Jockey: Jose Ortiz

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

Last race: 1st, Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes, Feb. 27 at Gulfstream Park

Next race: Florida Derby, March 27 at Gulfstream Park


Eclipse Sportswire

4. Hot Rod Charlie

Owners: Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing and William Strauss

Trainer: Leandro Mora

Jockey: Joel Rosario

2021 record: 2 starts – 1 win – 0 seconds – 1 third

Last race: 1st, Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby, March 20 at Fair Grounds

Next race: Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, May 1 at Churchill Downs 


Eclipse Sportswire

5. Medina Spirit

Owner: Zedan Racing Stables

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Jockey: Abel Cedillo

2021 record: 3 starts – 1 win – 2 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 2nd, San Felipe Stakes, March 6 at Santa Anita Park

Next race: Santa Anita Derby, April 3 at Santa Anita Park


Eclipse Sportswire

6. 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


Eclipse Sportswire

7. Risk Taking

Owner: Klaravich Stables

Trainer: Chad Brown

Jockey: Eric Cancel

2021 record: 1 start – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, Withers Stakes, Feb. 6 at Aqueduct

Next race: Wood Memorial Stakes, April 3 at Aqueduct


Lou Hodges, Jr. /Hodges Photography

8. Midnight Bourbon

Owners: Winchell Thoroughbreds

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Jockey: Joe Talamo

2021 record: 3 starts – 1 win – 1 second – 1 third

Last race: 2nd, Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby, March 20 at Fair Grounds

Next race: Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, May 1 at Churchill Downs 


Eclipse Sportswire

9. Helium 

Owner: D. J. Stable

Trainer: Mark Casse

Jockey: Jose Ferrer

2021 record: 1 starts – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby, March 6 at Tampa Bay Downs

Next race: Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, May 1 at Churchill Downs 


Eclipse Sportswire

10. Spielberg

Owners: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm and Robert Masterson

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Jockey: Martin Garcia

2021 record: 2 starts – 0 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Last race: 2nd, Southwest Stakes, Feb. 27 at Oaklawn Park

Next race: Florida Derby, March 27 at Gulfstream Park

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