Twin B Joe Fresh stayed at No. 1 for the 14th consecutive week in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll with little movement in the Week 18 rankings released on Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Twin B Joe Fresh held the top spot followed by Jiggy Jog S, whose connections announced the trotting mare's retirement on Monday.
Chantilly, who added a divisional Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final title to her undefeated season, remained No. 3 in the rankings but picked up one first-place vote. Captain Albano and Karl rounded out the top five.
The only shift occurred with Nijinsky, who also won his divisional Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final, moving up from seventh to sixth in a swap of positions with idle Maryland.
The Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll, which will be released every Tuesday through the remainder of the Grand Circuit season, does not determine U.S. 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 18 – Oct. 15, 2024
| Rank | Name (First Votes) | A/S/G | Record | Earnings (USD) | Points | Pvs |
| 1 | Twin B Joe Fresh (27) | 4mp | 10-9-1-0 | $620,812 | 336 | 1 |
| 2 | Jiggy Jog S (7) | 5mt | 6-6-0-0 | $934,188 | 315 | 2 |
| 3 | Chantilly (1) | 2fp | 9-9-0-0 | $560,315 | 210 | 3 |
| 4 | Captain Albano | 3cp | 13-8-1-2 | $797,043 | 193 | 4 |
| 5 | Karl | 3ct | 12-9-1-1 | $1,002,839 | 173 | 5 |
| 6 | Nijinsky | 3cp | 12-10-1-0 | $911,670 | 149 | 7 |
| 7 | Maryland | 2ct | 7-4-1-1 | $795,378 | 139 | 6 |
| 8 | Sig Sauer | 3ct | 8-4-0-1 | $569,812 | 63 | 8 |
| 9 | Legendary Hanover | 3cp | 14-6-4-2 | $785,567 | 45 | 9 |
| 10 | Fallout | 2cp | 9-4-2-1 | $486,750 | 37 | 10 |
ALSO: R Melina 35; Abuckabett Hanover 34; Winners Bet 28; Its A Love Thing 25; Rose 24; Logan Park 22; Highland Kismet 19; Rocket Deo 18; Call Me Goo, Little Rocket Man 10; Sabonis 9; You Got It Kemp 6; Louprint, Paquet 4; Direction, Mirage Hanover 3; Its My Show, Odds On Platinum, Papi Grad 2; Cleomax Duharas, Greenspan, My Girl EJ, Sylvia Hanover, Warrawee Michelle 1.
(With files from USTA)
Sugar Instead???
3yotf Sugar Instead is undefeated in 12 starts and has earned over $492,000 in 2024. No horse in this week's Top Ten has more than 10 wins. She's entered in a Breeders Crown elimination on Saturday night and has higher earnings than any other horse in her race, yet she didn't receive even a single vote in today's poll. Why not???