Freshman Trotters Back In Top 10
Two-year-old trotters Venerable and King Of The North returned to the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll Top 10 following victories last weekend at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Venerable, who earlier this season was ranked No. 10 for a week, improved to seven-for-seven with a win in the Peaceful Way and vaulted to No. 5 in the poll. King Of The North, who was rated as high as No. 7 two weeks ago, rebounded from his first loss of the campaign to capture the William Wellwood Memorial and land at eighth in the rankings.
The top three horses in the poll — Captain Corey, Manchego, and Lyons Sentinel — did not race last week. Test Of Faith won the New York Sire Stakes championship for three-year-old female pacers and improved from fifth to fourth.
Rounding out the Top 10 were unraced Atlanta, Allywag Hanover and Bella Bellini along with Hot Mess Express, who finished second by a neck to Fire Start Hanover in the Fan Hanover.
Bulldog Hanover, who was fourth in the North America Cup, and unraced Charlie May dropped from 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.
Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown Standardbred Poll: Week 17 – 9/14/2021
| Rank | Name (First Votes) | A/S/G | Record | Earnings (USD) | Points | Pvs |
| 1 | Captain Corey (17) | 3ct | 7-5-1-0 | $758,695 | 325 | 1 |
| 2 | Manchego (13) | 6mt | 8-6-0-1 | $419,755 | 301 | 2 |
| 3 | Lyons Sentinel (3) | 4mp | 12-6-1-2 | $408,558 | 226 | 3 |
| 4 | Test Of Faith (1) | 3fp | 9-8-1-0 | $414,050 | 185 | 5 |
| 5 | Venerable | 2ft | 7-7-0-0 | $466,945 | 154 | — |
| 6 | Atlanta | 6mt | 7-4-1-0 | $257,686 | 132 | 4 |
| 7 | Allywag Hanover (1) | 4gp | 14-7-2-0 | $567,450 | 120 | 7 |
| 8 | King Of The North | 2ct | 7-6-1-0 | $533,115 | 111 | — |
| 9 | Bella Bellini | 3ft | 13-8-4-0 | $510,050 | 86 | 8 |
| 10 | Hot Mess Express | 3fp | 10-8-1-0 | $404,134 | 77 | 6 |
ALSO: Charlie May 40; Desperate Man 25; Fire Start Hanover 22; Lawless Shadow 17; Winning Ticket 14; Perfect Sting 12; Bulldog Hanover, This Is The Plan 11; Jujubee 7; Blue Diamond Eyes 6; Catch The Fire, Grace Hill, Powertrain 5; Iteration, Lindy The Great, Nicholas Beach, Niki Hill 4; Ocean Rock, Sea Silk 3; Darlene Hanover 2; Dover In Motion, Fulfullnmydestiny, Pebble Beach, Whichwaytothebeach 1.
(USTA)