Plenty Of Movement In Top 10
After several weeks of relative stability, the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll saw nothing remain the same. Every position in the Top 10 changed this week, led by This Is The Plan taking the No. 1 spot from Manchego along with Atlanta and American Courage joining the upper tier.
It is the first time since Oct. 30, 2018 — a span of 60 polls — that every spot in the Top 10 saw a different name.
This Is The Plan moved from second to first in the poll following his win in the Roll With Joe Stakes while Manchego slipped a notch after finishing third in the Crawford Farms Open Trot. Manchego was No. 1 in each of the first six weeks of this season’s rankings.
Test Of Faith vaulted from seventh to third thanks to her victory in the Park MGM Pace and Atlanta moved from one spot outside the Top 10 up to No. 4 after capturing the Joie De Vie Stakes. It’s Academic, who finished fourth in the Crawford Farms, dropped one position and completed the top five.
Messenger Stakes winner American Courage went from outside the Top 10 to sixth, followed by Nadia Lobell champ Hot Mess Express, who climbed from No. 10 to seventh.
Abuckabett Hanover, who went off stride in the final turn of the Messenger, dropped from third to eighth while idle Nicholas Beach and Perfect Sting rounded out the Top 10.
The Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll does not determine Horse of the Year. The members of the U.S. Harness Writers Association vote on all Dan Patch Award division winners plus Trotter of the Year, Pacer of the Year and Horse of the Year.
Rankings based on the votes of harness racing media representatives on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis.
| Rank | Name (First Votes) | A/S/G | Record | Earnings | Points | Pvs |
| 1 | This Is The Plan (15) | 6gp | 11-4-7-0 | $515,675 | 322 | 2 |
| 2 | Manchego (15) | 6mt | 4-3-0-1 | $147,971 | 317 | 1 |
| 3 | Test Of Faith (1) | 3fp | 4-4-0-0 | $137,700 | 200 | 7 |
| 4 | Atlanta (1) | 6mt | 2-2-0-0 | $93,320 | 166 | — |
| 5 | Its Academic | 4ht | 12-6-1-2 | $209,264 | 130 | 4 |
| 6 | American Courage (1) | 3cp | 4-4-0-0 | $288,375 | 129 | — |
| 7 | Hot Mess Express (2) | 3fp | 5-5-0-0 | $183,750 | 105 | 10 |
| 8 | Abuckabett Hanover | 3cp | 5-4-0-0 | $92,686 | 91 | 3 |
| 9 | Nicholas Beach | 5gp | 7-5-2-0 | $107,950 | 89 | 5 |
| 10 | Perfect Sting | 3cp | 3-2-1-0 | $95,677 | 74 | 6 |
ALSO: Johan Palema 66; Lyons Sentinel 51; Racine Bell 27; Charlie May, Ruthless Hanover 20; Beads, Iteration 15; Winning Ticket 10; Captain Barbossa 9; One Eight Hundred, Southwind Gendry 8; Alexa Skye 6; Ahundreddollarbill, Bella Bellini 5; Bulldog Hanover, Forbidden Trade, I Did It Myway, Rockapelo, When Dovescry 4; Captain Kirk, Heart Of Chewbacca, Hypnotic AM 3; Ambassador Hanover, Captain Corey 2; Fox Valley Gemini, Really Fast, Sea Silk, Southwind Amazon 1.
(USTA)
The William Haughton, The
The William Haughton, The Meadowlands' biggest stakes race for older pacers, is on Meadowlands Pace night, but Nicholas Beach isn't staked to the race and I don't think they accept supplemental entries. He IS eligible to the Sam McKee, but that's not until August 7, Hambletonian Day, so I guess Joe Bongiorno will enter the horse in one or two Open races until then.
Nicholas Beach is qualifying
Nicholas Beach is qualifying this Saturday (July 10) at The Meadowlands.
What happened to Nicholas
What happened to Nicholas Beach? He won The Commodore Barry back in May but hasn't raced since that time.