NTRA | Horse Racing Free Tips

Knicks Go Solidly Atop NTRA Poll; Max Player Jumps Into Top 10

Korea Racing Authority's 5-year-old Knicks Go kept his No. 1 rating in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll for the fifth straight week, while the 4-year-old colt Max Player catapulted from sixteenth into the top 10 off an impressive score in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga over the Labor Day weekend.

Knicks Go, trained by Brad Cox, received 19 first-place votes and 323 points. A winner three times in five starts this year, Knicks Go captured the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational in January at Gulfstream Park, the Grade 3 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap in July, and scored a dominant, front-running victory in the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga on Aug. 7.

St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska is in second place with six first-place votes and 306 points. Letruska has won five races this year for trainer Fausto Gutierrez, including the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga and the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park. Godolphin's 3-year-old Essential Quality, who won the Runhappy Travers Stakes at Saratoga on August 28, remained in third place with 10 first-place votes and 294 points. Also trained by Cox, Essential Quality, last year's Eclipse Award winner as Champion Two-Year-Old Male, captured the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 5.

Michael Lund Petersen's 4-year-old filly Gamine, winner of the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 28, remained in fourth place for the second consecutive week with 159 points.

Godolphin's 4-year-old Maxfield, winner of the Grade 2 Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs and second in the Whitney, is in fifth. Trained by Brendan Walsh, Maxfield has 137 points. Max Player, who earlier this year captured the Grade 2 Suburban Stakes at Belmont Park, moved into sixth place with 135 points off his strong performance in the Gold Cup. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Max Player is owned by George Hall.

Klaravich Stables' 4-year-old gelding Domestic Spending, the only turf horse in the top 10, is in seventh place with 110 points. Domestic Spending is trained by Chad Brown.

The speedy Jackie's Warrior, also trained by Asmussen and owned by Kirk and Judy Robison, most recently captured the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on August 28 and is in eighth place with 107 points.

Shadwell Stable's Longines Kentucky Oaks winner Malathaat, trained by Todd Pletcher and a winner of three races in four starts this year, is in ninth place with 91 points. Rounding out the top 10 is Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's Silver State, winner of four races in 2021 including the Grade 1 Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park. Silver State has 50 points.

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Gamine Jumps Up To Fourth In NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll

For the fourth consecutive week, Korea Racing Authority's 5-year-old Knicks Go is the No. 1 ranked horse in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll, while the 4-year-old filly Gamine, winner of Saratoga's Grade 1 Kettle One Ballerina Stakes, moved into fourth place.

Knicks Go, trained by Brad Cox, received 19 first-place votes and 325 points. This year, he has won the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park, the Grade 3 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap, and the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga in his most recent start on Aug. 7.

St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska remained in second place with six first-place votes and 307 points. Letruska won her fifth race of 2021 on Saturday, taking the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga by a half-length. Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, Letruska also has won two other Grade 1 stakes in the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park and the Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park.

Godolphin's 3-year-old Essential Quality retained third place in the poll following his half-length win over Midnight Bourbon in Saturday's Grade 1 Runhappy Travers Stakes at Saratoga. Also trained by Cox, Essential Quality, who won the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes in June and took Saratoga's Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes earlier this month, has 10 first-place votes and 294 points.

Michael Lund Petersen's Gamine rose from seventh to fourth place with 183 points. Trained by Bob Baffert, Gamine remained unbeaten in four starts this year when she scored a 1 ¾-length triumph in the Ballerina. Last year's champion female sprinter also has 2021 wins in the Grade 3 Las Flores at Santa Anita Park, the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs, and the Grade 2 Great Lady M Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course.

Godolphin's 4-year-old Maxfield, winner of the Grade 2 Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs and second in the Whitney, drops one spot to fifth place. Trained by Brendan Walsh, Maxfield has 166 points.

Klaravich Stables' 4-year-old gelding Domestic Spending is in sixth place with 119 points. Trained by Chad Brown, this year Domestic Spending finished in a dead heat for first in the Grade 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs, won the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park, and finished second in the Grade 1 Mr. D. Stakes at Arlington Park on Aug. 14.

Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior defeated the previously unbeaten Life Is Good by a neck in Saturday's Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes for 3-year-olds at Saratoga, and rose from 11th to seventh place in the poll with 115 points. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Jackie's Warrior won the Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 1 and the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs on May 1.

Shadwell Stable's 3-year-old filly Malathaat stayed in eighth place with 90 points. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Malathaat won the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 21 to go along with her two other Grade 1 scores in the Central Bank Ashland Stakes at Keeneland and the Longines Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's Silver State dropped three places to ninth with 69 points. Also trained by Asmussen, Silver State has four wins this year, including the Grade 1 Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park.

Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing, and William Strauss's Hot Rod Charlie dropped one spot to 10th place with 43 points. Trained by Doug O'Neill, Hot Rod Charlie, was third in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve and finished second in the Belmont Stakes. He crossed the wire first in the Grade 1 TVG.com Haskell Stakes on July 17 but was disqualified for interference and was placed seventh.

The NTRA Top Thoroughbred polls are the sport's most comprehensive surveys of experts. Every week eligible journalists and broadcasters cast votes for their top 10 horses, with points awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. All horses that have raced in the U.S., are in training in the U.S., or are known to be pointing to a major event in the U.S. are eligible for the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. Voting in the Top Thoroughbred Poll is scheduled to be conducted through Nov. 6.

The full results for the NTRA Thoroughbred Polls can be found on the NTRA website at: https://www.ntra.com/ntra-top-thoroughbred-poll-august-30-2021/

Full accounting of top 10 votes by voter can be found at: https://mk0ntrauj6jy9vera.kinstacdn.com/wp-content/uploads/Polls-week28-by_voter-2021.pdf

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NHC Charity Challenge Has Field Of 60 For 2021 Edition

While the NTRA National Horseplayers Championship Presented by Racetrack Television Network, Caesars Entertainment, and Bally's Las Vegas will crown the best handicapper in the sport, industry accolades will be on the line as a cross-section of notable journalists, analysts, and personalities compete in today's NTRA NHC Charity Challenge presented by Four Roses Bourbon.

A field of approximately 60 are slated to compete for the $5,000 charitable prize pool with $2,500 set to be donated in the winner's name to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and the other $2,500 going to the winner's charity of choice.

Defending Charity Challenge winner Jude Feld will attempt a title defense and every past winner is expected to participate. The past Charity Challenge champions are Dawn Lupul (2019), Ed DeRosa (2018), Ellis Starr (2017), Matt Bernier (2016), and Bob Neumeier (2015).

This year's complete field, in alphabetical order, with affiliation:

Pete Aiello, track announcer, Gulfstream Park

Frank Angst, features editor, BloodHorse

Jeremy Balan, content editor, TwinSpires.com

Matt Bernier, racing analyst, NBC Sports / In The Money Media

Christina Blacker, host and analyst, TVG

Brian Blessing, radio host, Sportsbook Radio / Vegas Hockey Hotline

Michael Blowen, Old Friends Farm

Mike Brunker, assistant city editor, Las Vegas Review-Journal

Steve Byk, radio host, At the Races with Steve Byk

Zoe Cadman, host and analyst, XBTV.com / Santa Anita Park

Michael Canale, DraftKings

Matt Carothers, host and analyst, TVG

Frank Carulli, professional gambler and former racing analyst

Joe Clancy, ST Publishing

Sean Clancy, ST Publishing

Ed DeRosa, director of marketing, TwinSpires.com / racing analyst, Churchill Downs

Matt Dinerman, track announcer, Golden Gate Fields

Ramon Dominguez, Hall of Fame jockey, broadcaster

Bob Ehalt, freelance writer

Chris “The Bear” Fallica, research producer, College GameDay

Ahmed Fareed, national studio and event host, NBC Sports

Jude Feld, broadcaster and writer, PopeJude.com / Horse Racing Radio Network

Gabby Gaudet, racing analyst and reporter, TVG

Robert Geller, track announcer, Woodbine Entertainment

Jamie Haydon, president, Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation

Scott Hazelton, host and reporter, TVG

G.D. Hieronymus, retired racetrack video production legend

John Hernandez, track handicapper, Prairie Meadows

Jonathon Kinchen, racing analyst, NYRA / FOX Sports / In the Money Media

Joe Kristufek, racing analyst, Churchill Downs / Fair Grounds

Tom Law, ST Publishing

David Levitch, basketball coach and handicapper, TheHorseCapper.com

Dawn Lupul, holistic health coach and handicapper

Pete Macheska, executive director, FOX Sports

Paul Matties, professional horseplayer, 2016 NHC champion

Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, owner, Gallery Furniture

Jimmy McNerney, track announcer, Ellis Park

Seth Merrow, host, Capital OTB

Jim Miller, director of publicity and on-air analyst, Hawthorne Race Course

Frank Mirahmadi, track announcer, Santa Anita Park / Monmouth Park

Bob Neumeier, retired sports broadcaster

Joe Nevills, bloodstock editor, The Paulick Report

Ron Nicoletti, handicapper, Gulfstream Park

Eddie Olczyk, NHL Lead Analyst, Turner Sports / racing analyst, NBC Sports

Ray Paulick, founder and editor, The Paulick Report

Rich Perloff, host and analyst, TVG

Samantha Perry, handicapper, Monmouth Park

Jay Privman, national correspondent, Daily Racing Form

Sheri Riddoch, handicapper, Woodbine Entertainment

Peter Rotondo, father and bon vivant

Matt Rybaltowski, sports betting reporter, Sports Handle / US Bets / Forbes

Spa Infield Goose, waterfowl and Twitter influencer

Todd Schrupp, host and analyst, TVG

Brian Spencer, handicapper

Ellis Starr, handicapper, Equibase

Vic Stauffer, track announcer, Oaklawn Park

Dan Tordjman, correspondent, America's Best Racing

Dave Weaver, racing analyst, TVG

Similar to the NHC format, players will select one horse to Win and Place in eight races using a “Pick and Pray” format. All selections are due Saturday morning and any scratches will result in the player being assigned the post-time favorite. The player with the highest hypothetical bankroll after the final contest race will be declared the winner. In the event of a tie, there will be no playoff; the donations will be split among the winners.

In addition to the charitable prize, Breeders' Cup is offering a $500 credit to the winner's HorsePlayers.com account. The second-place finisher will get a $250 credit with third earning a $100 credit.

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RTN, Caesars, Bally’s Presenting Partners for NHC

The 22nd Annual National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) will have 25 official partners and sponsors. Held Aug. 27-29 at Bally's Las Vegas, the NHC will be presented by Racetrack Television Network (RTN), Caesars Entertainment, and Bally's Las Vegas with another 22 entities named as official partners.

The NHC is the culmination of a year-long series of NTRA-sanctioned local tournaments and features approximately 450 horseplayers competing for more than $2 million in cash prizes.

The post RTN, Caesars, Bally’s Presenting Partners for NHC appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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