Don’t look now, but Greenshoe is making a run at the top spot in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown Standardbred poll.
Shartin N remains in the lead for Week 20 of the poll, but Kentucky Futurity winner Greenshoe (recap here) has closed within 11 points of the top spot.
Shartin N, who finished second in the Allerage Farms Mare Pace this past Sunday at the Red Mile, received 19 first-place votes this week and a total of 328 points. She had received all 35 first-place votes the previous week. Greenshoe picked up 14 first-place votes and now has a total of 317 points.
Greenshoe, pictured winning the 2019 Kentucky Futurity.
Tall Dark Stranger and Manchego picked up the remaining first-place votes, with one apiece.
Bettors Wish, Lather Up and Southwind Ozzi rounded out the top five.
The Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll, which runs weekly through November, 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 20 – 10/8/2019
| Rank | Name (First Votes) | A/G/S | Record | Earnings | Points | Pvs |
| 1 | Shartin N (19) | 6pm | 16-14-1-0 | $848,177 | 328 | 1 |
| 2 | Greenshoe (14) | 3tc | 12-10-2-0 | $1,164,550 | 317 | 2 |
| 3 | Bettors Wish | 3pc | 15-11-4-0 | $1,288,944 | 274 | 3 |
| 4 | Lather Up | 4ph | 12-8-1-1 | $768,011 | 161 | 4 |
| 5 | Southwind Ozzi | 3pc | 12-9-2-0 | $804,435 | 136 | 5 |
| 6 | Atlanta | 4tm | 11-7-3-0 | $658,400 | 128 | 6 |
| 7 | Real Cool Sam | 2tg | 9-9-0-0 | $454,575 | 125 | 7 |
| 8 | Warrawee Ubeaut | 3pf | 15-10-2-3 | $636,398 | 112 | 10 |
| 9 | Tall Dark Stranger (1) | 2pc | 7-7-0-0 | $411,265 | 92 | 9 |
| 10 | Manchego (1) | 4tm | 13-5-0-0 | $310,038 | 78 | — |
ALSO: McWicked 30; Elver Hanover 21; Captain Crunch 17; Gimpanzee 16; Forbidden Trade 15; When Dovescry 12; Century Farroh 10; Caviart Ally, Six Pack 8; Alicorn, Hypnotic AM, Lyons Sentinel 7; Green Manalishi S, Guardian Angel AS 4; Capt Midnight, Rich And Miserable 3; Denali Seelster, Tall Drink Hanover 1.
(USTA)
I think that we can safely
I think that we can safely say that either Shartin or Greenshoe will win HOTY. Which horse will ultimately win depends on the outcome of 5 races: for Shartin, the Breeders Crown and the TVG. For Greenshoe, the Breeders Crown, the Carl Erskine, and the Matron.