Valentine's Day was not just a day for celebrating love Feb. 14, but also a day of celebrating top equine performances around the globe. Following their eye-catching Saturday victories, Forever Young and Paladin both found themselves moving up the ranks in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association polls.
Forever Young's repeat victory in the world's richest race, the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1), elevated him to second place from sixth in the NTRA's Top Thoroughbred Poll. The Japan-trained and internationally raced 5-year-old received 14 of 33 first-place votes by the national media who vote on the weekly poll.
Reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty maintains the No. 1 spot in the Top Thoroughbred poll and received 16 first-place votes. The 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) winner recorded his first official breeze of 2026 Feb. 15 for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.
Nysos, runner-up in the Saudi Cup, was elevated from fourth to third in the rankings, and Imagination debuted on the poll in eighth after his come-from-behind victory in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G2).
Meanwhile, Paladin's seasonal debut win in the Risen Star Stakes (G2) Saturday has firmly placed him atop the NTRA's Top 3-Year-Old Poll as he received 25 of the 33 first-place votes cast. He flipped spots with Nearly, who had ranked first since his Jan. 31 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) victory, but now sits second.
Silent Tactic (from sixth to fourth) and Plutarch (from eighth to fifth) also saw improvements in their position as Golden Tempo sank from fourth to eighth after finishing a distant third in the Risen Star.
