A long anticipated matchup between reigning North American Horse of the Year Sovereignty and reigning Japan Racing Association Horse of the Year Forever Young is coming soon when the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) is held Oct. 31 at Keeneland, and the anticipation is reflected in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Top Thoroughbred Poll.
Sovereignty has retained the top spot in the poll, which is voted on weekly by members of the national media, since his dominant victory over a strong field in the Whitney Stakes (G1) Aug. 8. However, in the poll released Oct. 20, Forever Young has tied for that top spot.
Forever Young received 13 of 29 first-place votes cast compared to Sovereignty's 11, but the accumulative points based on where the 29 media members had them placed within their Top 10 has them tied at 253 points each. Third-ranked Knightsbridge received three first-place votes and fifth-ranked Magnitude received two.
Only 26 voters participated the prior week in which Sovereignty received 12 first-place votes and Forever Young received 10, with Sovereignty leading the points total 229-223.
The points tend to fluctuate each week as the number of voters participating has not been consistent. As many as 32 voters have participated in the poll throughout the year, but it has not been since the Week 34 poll released Sept. 14 that all have participated.
