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) High Thoroughbred Ballot.
Week 3 of the 2026 NTRA High 3-Yr-Outdated Thoroughbred Ballot covers races by way of February eighth. The voting is led by Holy Bull Stakes winner Neary, and this week’s high 10 contains Renegade, Silent Tactic, and Plutarch, winners of the key preliminaries held on the weekend of February 6-7.
The three-year-old vote represents horses that may compete as much as the Triple Crown. Rankings are based mostly 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America’s High 3-Yr-Outdated Thoroughbreds for February September 2026
1.Virtually (13 first place votes)
Proprietor: Centennial Farms
coach: tod plecher
Jockey: John Velasquez
2026 data: 2 begins – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Final race: 1centHoly Bull Stakes, Jan. 31 at Gulfstream Park
Subsequent race: Curlin Florida Derby March 28 at Gulfstream Park
2. Paladin (5 votes for 1st place)
Proprietor: Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Brooke Smith, Summer time Wind Equine
coach: chad brown
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
Information 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. Renegade (1 vote for 1st place)
Proprietor: Robert Rowe, Lawana Rowe, Lepore Stables
coach: tod plecher
Jockey: Airado Ortiz Jr.
Information for 2026: 1 begin – 1 win – 0 second – 0 third
Final race: 1centSam F. Davis Stakes, Feb. 7 at Tampa Bay Downs
Subsequent race: Arkansas Derby, March 28 Oaklawn Park
4. Golden time (1 vote for 1st place)
Proprietor: Phipps Stables and St. Elias Stables
coach: Shelley Deveaux
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Information 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
5. Additional preface (1 vote for 1st place)
Proprietor: Spendthrift Farm
coach: brad cox
Jockey: Airado Ortiz Jr.
2026 data: 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. Techniques of silence
Proprietor: John C. Oxley
coach: mark cass
Jockey: Christian Torres
Information for 2026: 2 begins – 1 win – 1 second – 0 three innings
Final race: 1centSouthwest Stakes, February sixth at Oaklawn Park
Subsequent race: Insurgent Stakes, March 1 Oaklawn Park
7. Blunt (4 votes for 1st place)
Proprietor: Zedan Horse Racing Secure
coach: bob baffert
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Information 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: TBA, Insurgent Stakes, March 1st at Oaklawn Park, or Santa Anita Derby, attainable April 4th at Santa Anita Park.
8. Plutarch (1 vote for 1st place)
Proprietor: Susan Magnia, Michael Taber, Derrick Smith
coach: bob baffert
Jockey: Florent Geroux
Information for 2026: 1 begin – 1 win – 0 second – 0 third
Final race: 1centRobert B. Lewis Stakes, February 7 at Santa Anita Park.
Subsequent race: Santa Anita Derby, April 4th at Santa Anita Park
9. Litmus paper
Proprietor: SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Bashor, Dianne, Decided Stables, Golconda Secure, Waves Edge Capital LLC, Donovan, Catherine
coach: bob baffert
Jockey: Juan Hernandez
Information for 2026: 0 begins – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Final race: 1centLos Alamitos Futurity, December 13, 2025, Los Alamitos
Subsequent race: San Felipe Stakes, sponsored by DK Horse, March seventh at Santa Anita Park
10. Napoleon Solo
Proprietor: gold sq.
coach: chad summers
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Information 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.
