Every week, members of the nationwide media vote for the nation’s main candidates within the Triple Crown race within the Nationwide Thoroughbred Racing Affiliation (NTRA) Prime Thoroughbred Ballot.
The primary week of the 2026 NTRA Prime 3-12 months-Outdated Thoroughbred Voting is open to races by February 1st. The newest ballot has Holy Bull Stakes winner Neary on the prime, changing injured former ballot chief Ted Nophy.
The three-year-old vote represents horses that can compete as much as the Triple Crown. Rankings are primarily based on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-1 voting system. The variety of votes for 1st place is in parentheses.
America’s Prime 3-12 months-Outdated Thoroughbreds for February 2026
1.Virtually (10 first place votes)
Proprietor: Centennial Farms
coach: tod plecher
Jockey: John Velasquez
Data for 2026: 1 begin – 1 win – 0 second – 0 third
Final race: 1centHoly Bull Stakes, Jan. 31 at Gulfstream Park
Subsequent race: Curlin Florida Derby March 28 at Gulfstream Park
2. Paladin (6 votes for 1st place)
Proprietor: Susan Magnier, Michael Taber, Derrick Smith, Brooke Smith, Summer time Wind Equine
coach: chad brown
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Data for 2026: 0 begins – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Final race: 1centRemsen Stakes, December 6, 2025, Suidobashi
Subsequent race: Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes, February 14, on the Fairgrounds
3. Golden time (2 votes for 1st place)
Proprietor: Phipps Stables and St. Elias Stables
coach: Shelley Deveaux
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Data for 2026: 1 begin – 1 win – 0 second – 0 third
Final race: 1centLeconte Stakes, January twenty fourth Fairgrounds
Subsequent race: Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes, February 14, on the Fairgrounds
4. Blunt (5 votes for 1st place)
Proprietor: Zedan Horse Racing Steady
coach: bob baffert
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Data for 2026: 0 begins – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Final race: 3rdFanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presenter by TAA, October 31, 2025, Del Mar
Subsequent race: to be determined
5. Additional preface (1 vote for 1st place)
Proprietor: Spendthrift Farm
coach: brad cox
Jockey: Airado Ortiz Jr.
Data for 2026: 0 begins – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Final race: 1centKentucky Jockey Membership Stakes, November 29, 2025, Churchill Downs
Subsequent race: Esmark Tampa Bay Derby, March 7, Tampa Bay Downs
6. Litmus paper
Proprietor: SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Bashor, Dianne, Decided Stables, Golconda Steady, Waves Edge Capital LLC, Donovan, Catherine
coach: bob baffert
Jockey: Juan Hernandez
Data for 2026: 0 begins – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Final race: 1centLos Alamitos Futurity, December 13, 2025, Los Alamitos
Subsequent race: to be determined
7. strategic danger (1 vote for 1st place)
Proprietor: John C. Oxley
coach: mark cass
Jockey: Javier Castellano
Data for 2026: 1 begin – 1 win – 0 second – 0 third
Final race: 1centSmarty Jones Stakes, January 3, Oaklawn Park.
Subsequent race: Southwest Stakes, February sixth Oaklawn Park
8. Napoleon Solo
Proprietor: gold sq.
coach: Chad Summers
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Data for 2026: 0 begins – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Final race: 1centChampagne Stakes, October 4, 2025, Suidobashi
Subsequent race: Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes, February twenty eighth at Gulfstream Park, or Gotham Stakes, February twenty eighth at Aqueduct, or ESMARK Tampa Bay Derby, March seventh at Tampa Bay Downs.
9. Commandment
Proprietor: wasnan racing
coach: brad cox
Jockey: Airado Ortiz Jr.
Data for 2026: 1 begin – 1 win – 0 second – 0 third
Final race: 1centMucho Macho Man Stakes, January third at Gulfstream Park
Subsequent race: Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes, February twenty eighth Gulfstream Park
10. Ted Nophy (5 votes for 1st place)
Proprietor: Spendthrift Farm
coach: tod plecher
Jockey: John Velazquez
Data for 2026: 0 begins – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Final race: 1centFanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presenter by TAA, October 31, 2025, Del Mar
Subsequent race: Undetermined (out of the Triple Crown path attributable to harm reported on January twenty ninth)
