Following a successful return to the races, 2-year-old champion male Citizen Bull widened his lead on stablemate Barnes in the second week of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s Top 3-Year-Old poll, released Feb. 4.
The son of Into Mischief overpowered his rivals with a strong front-running score in the Feb. 1 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park, soaring to a 3 3/4-length triumph for SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, and partners.
The win earned plenty of respect from the 28 members of the national media who voted on the rankings as Citizen Bull received 24 first-place votes, double the amount he earned one week prior.
His Bob Baffert-trained stablemate, San Vicente Stakes (G2) winner Barnes, retained second place on the rankings and received two first-place votes. Journalism and Sandman each earned one first-place vote and ranked ninth and 10th, respectively.
Other big winners from Saturday’s Kentucky Derby (G1) prep races made their debut on the rankings. Whitham Thoroughbreds’ Burnham Square debuted in fourth following his 1 3/4-length come-from-behind victory in the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park for trainer Ian Wilkes. St. Elias Stable’s Captain Cook ranked eighth after his 2 1/4-length win in the Withers Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack for trainer Rick Dutrow Jr.
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No changes came in the poll for Top Thoroughbred as White Abarrio and Thorpedo Anna split the 28 first-place votes down the middle. White Abarrio retained the top spot by 29 points.
