And a Filly Leads Them

HRI's penultimate Triple Crown Poll, the last one until after the Belmont Stakes, concludes the run-up to the final leg of racing’s classics series.

These are the three-year-olds that have distinguished themselves in the first half-season of the 2009 racing year.

1-RACHEL ALEXANDRA: The most naturally talented sophomore of 2009.

2-Mine That Bird: The most accomplished male in prime time.

3-Musket Man: Wins and wins and keeps trying when he doesn’t.

4-Quality Road: Talent galore on the road to Saratoga.

5-I Want Revenge: Talented, accomplished and now in recovery.

6-Charitable Man: Winner of two graded stakes can really step up Saturday.

7-Chocolate Candy: Graded stakes and G1-placed, too. Super honest.

8-Papa Clem: Keeps surprising with big effort after big effort.

9-Pioneerof The Nile: Several Grade 1s in the win column; one bad race.

10-Summer Bird: Lightly raced with competitive ability at highest level.