The American Quarter Horse Journal, December 22, 2010 – Pollsters made no changes to this week’s AQHARacing.com-Horseplayernow.com national polls for 2-year-olds or the older horses, but that figures to change this coming week. Sunday’s Championship at Sunland Park (G1) features the current No. 8-ranked older horse in the land, Noconi, against a field that includes all-time leading AQHA money-earner Stolis Winner and the highly touted Rylees Boy.

The Championship at Sunland contenders figure to move up the national rankings with top performances, but the season’s No. 1 ranking remains securely with Apollitical Jess, winner of the Champion of Champions (G1) and this week’s unanimous choice at the top of the poll.

As for the 2-year-olds, the consistent futurity finalist American Runaway, hero of the Ruidoso Futurity (G1), remains on top of the rankings with just one poll remaining in 2010.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS:

1.    AMERICAN RUNAWAY (79)
2.    JLS MR BIGTIME (68)
2.    BODACIOUS DASH (59)
4.    MR PILOTO (56)
5.    ONE QUICK FIRST DOWN (53)
6.    ONE SWEET JESS (35)
7.    COLD CASH 123 (31)
8.    FLYING FIG (30)
9.    FIRST DOWN ILLUSION (29)
10.  THE GOODBYE KISSER (17)

A Prospect To The Top (10), Llano Teller (8), A Dashin First Down (6), Hes Too Icy For Me (4), Givinitaroyaleffort (4), West Coast Hawk (3), Sixes Liaison (2), DM Streakin Thru Fire (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:

1.    APOLLITICAL JESS (90)
2.    DOUBLE DOWN SPECIAL (75)
3.    A TEMPTING DASH (71)
4.    FREAKY (65)
5.    FEATURE JESS ROCKIN (38)
6.    JESS YOU AND I (37)
7.    SPIT CURL DIVA (34)
8.    NOCONI (23)
9.    SWINGIN DADDYO (19)
10.  STREAKIN DOWN (14)

Stolis Winner (10), Divide The Cash (8), Acorn (4), One Diamond Kitty (3), Rylees Boy (2), Good Reason SA (2)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Mike Joyce (TVG analyst)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications: The American Quarter Horse Journal and America’s Horse.

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