Fierceness Tops First 3-Year-Old Triple Crown Poll of 2024

Racing
2024 Kentucky Derby, Triple Crown, Fierceness, Muth, Track Phantom
Breeders Cup Juvenile champion Fierceness begins 2024 as the top-ranked 3-year-old in the first NTRA poll of the Triple Crown season. (Alex Evers/Eclipse Sportswire)

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 1 of the 2024 Top 3-Year-Old Thoroughbred Poll conducted by the NTRA covers racing performances through Jan. 29, 2024.

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 JANUARY 29, 2024

Fierceness. (Bill Denver/Eclipse Sportswire)

1. Fierceness (23 first-place votes)

Owner: Repole Stable

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: John Velazquez

2024 record: 0 starts – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by TAA, Nov. 3, 2023 at Santa Anita Park

Next race: Holy Bull Stakes, Feb. 3 at Gulfstream Park


Muth. (Alex Evers/Eclipse Sportswire)

2. Muth

Owner: Zedan Racing Stables

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Jockey:  Juan Hernandez

2024 record: 1 start – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, San Vicente Stakes, Jan. 6 at Santa Anita Park

Next race: Rebel Stakes, Feb. 24 at Oaklawn Park


Locked. (Candice Chavez/Eclipse Sportswire)

3 (tie). Locked

Owners: Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: Jose Ortiz

2024 record: 0 starts – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 3rd, FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by TAA, Nov. 3, 2023 at Santa Anita Park

Next race: Sam F. Davis Stakes, Feb. 10 at Tampa Bay Downs


Track Phantom. (Ben Breland/Eclipse Sportswire)

3 (tie). Track Phantom (1 first-place vote)

Owners: L and N Racing, Clark O. Brewster, Jerry Caroom, Breeze Easy

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Jockey: Joel Rosario

2024 record: 1 start – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1stLecomte Stakes, Jan. 20 at Fair Grounds

Next race: Risen Star Stakes, Feb. 17 at Fair Grounds


Dornoch. (Jason Moran/Eclipse Sportswire)

5. Dornoch 

Owners: West Paces Racing, R.A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeders, Two Fight Racing, Pine Racing Stables

Trainer: Danny Gargan

Jockey: Luis Saez

2024 record: 0 starts – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, Remsen Stakes, Dec. 2, 2023 at Aqueduct

Next race: Fountain of Youth Stakes, March 2 at Gulfstream Park


Nysos. (BENOIT photo)

6. Nysos (1 first-place vote)

Owners: Baoma Corp.

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Jockey: Flavien Prat

2024 record: 0 starts – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, Bob Hope Stakes, Nov. 19, 2023 at Del Mar

Next race: Robert B. Lewis Stakes, Feb. 3 at Santa Anita Park


Sue Kawczynski/Eclipse Sportswire

7. Sierra Leone (1 first-place vote)

Owners: Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, Rocket Ship Racing, Peter M. Brant

Trainer: Chad Brown

Jockey: Jose Ortiz

2024 record: 0 starts – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 2nd, Remsen Stakes, Dec. 2, 2023 at Aqueduct

Next race: Risen Star Stakes, Feb. 17 at Fair Grounds


Timberlake. (Sue Kawczynski/Eclipse Sportswire)

8. Timberlake

Owners: WinStar Farm and Siena Farm

Trainer: Brad Cox

Jockey:  Florent Geroux

2024 record: 0 starts – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 4th, FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by TAA, Nov. 3, 2023 at Santa Anita Park

Next race: Rebel Stakes, Feb. 24 at Oaklawn Park


Catching Freedom. (Justin Manning/Eclipse Sportswire)

9. Catching Freedom

Owner: Albaugh Family Stables

Trainer: Brad Cox

Jockey: Cristian Torres

2024 record: 1 start – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, Smarty Jones Stakes, Jan. 1 at Oaklawn Park

Next race: Risen Star Stakes, Feb. 17 at Fair Grounds or Rebel Stakes, Feb. 24 at Oaklawn Park


Just F Y I. (Eclipse Sportswire)

10. Just F Y I

Owner: George Krikorian

Trainer: Bill Mott

Jockey: Junior Alvarado

2024 record: 0 starts – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, Nov. 3, 2023 at Santa Anita Park

Next race: TBD


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