Englishman has already joined the ranks of the top racehorses in the United States

Following another extraordinary performance in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1), the son of Maxfieldsurged from 13th to seventh place in the NTRA poll and even received a vote for Horse of the Year, while Sovereigntycontinues to hold a commanding lead at the top

LEXINGTON, Kentucky (Special for Turf Diario).— Englishman is no longer just the standout 3-year-old sprinter of the domestic season. Following a pair of formidable performances at Saratoga, the C R K Stable colt surged into the top ten of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top Thoroughbred Poll for the first time, a ranking that features the leading contenders for Horse of the Year honors.

The son of Maxfield leaped six spots, climbing from 13th to seventh following his decisive victory last Saturday in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1) over 1,400 meters.

Englishman once again put his extraordinary speed on display. He grabbed the lead the moment the gates opened, controlled the race at will, and drew off to win by 3 3/4 lengths over Deep Flame (Into Mischief), stopping the clock in 1:20.71—just 31/100ths off the Saratoga track record.

In a far from minor detail, that track record also belongs to Englishman. He had equaled it on June 6 during another runaway performance, capturing the Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) by 5 3/4 lengths while covering the seven furlongs in 1:20.40. That effort firmly established him as a talent apart, and his performance in the Allen Jerkens served only to confirm it.

His latest display made an immediate impression on the NTRA electorate. Englishman appeared in seventh position in the standings released on September 1 and even collected a first-place vote, a testament to how rapidly his stock has risen on the national scene.

His surge stood in contrast to the slight slide of stablemate Golden Tempo (Curlin), winner of this season's Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1). The Cherie DeVaux trainee dropped from sixth to ninth after finishing third in the Travers Stakes (G1), won by Leading Change (Gun Runner). For his part, Leading Change, who preserved his undefeated record with a brilliant score in the Travers, debuted at number 12 in the poll.

Englishman’s entrance into the Top 10 pushed out Splendora (Audible), recent winner of the Molly Pitcher Stakes(G2), while the top spots remained largely unchanged.

Sovereignty (Into Mischief) continues as the undisputed number one in the United States. Winner of the Whitney Stakes (G1), he gathered 23 first-place votes and 289 total points, maintaining a comfortable margin over Knightsbridge (Nyquist), spectacular winner of the Pacific Classic (G1), who sits second with 242 points and two first-place nods.

A notable narrative unfolds at the summit: both Sovereignty and Knightsbridge campaign in the colors of Godolphinunder the care of trainer Bill Mott, who enters the decisive stretch of the season holding two formidable aces.

Yet Englishman has firmly earned his seat at the table. With just five career starts, four victories, and back-to-back G1triumphs, the son of Maxfield is piecing together a stellar campaign. And after stopping the clock in 1:20 and change twice over Saratoga’s seven furlongs, no further explanation is needed to see why.