There were no newcomers in this week’s Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown top 10 but TVG Series championship winners Kissin In The Sand, Bettors Wish, and Manchego all improved their positions.
Kissin In The Sand swapped places with idle Perfect Sting in spots four and five. Bettors Wish moved from ninth to sixth and Manchego went from 10th to eighth.
All three horses were retired following their TVG triumphs.
The top three in the poll remained unchanged, with Tall Dark Stranger at No. 1 followed by Party Girl Hill and Gimpanzee.
Next week will be the final Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll of 2020.
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 20 – 11/24/2020
| Rank | Name (First Votes) | A/G/S | Record | Earnings | Points | Pvs |
| 1 | Tall Dark Stranger (23) | 3pc | 13-11-1-0 | $1,428,681 | 322 | 1 |
| 2 | Party Girl Hill (9) | 3pf | 16-15-0-0 | $932,545 | 295 | 2 |
| 3 | Gimpanzee (1) | 4th | 11-8-1-1 | $997,092 | 249 | 3 |
| 4 | Kissin In The Sand | 5pm | 12-8-1-0 | $523,059 | 215 | 5 |
| 5 | Perfect Sting (1) | 2pc | 10-10-0-0 | $534,300 | 209 | 4 |
| 6 | Bettors Wish | 4ph | 13-6-3-2 | $685,432 | 126 | 9 |
| 7 | Amigo Volo | 3tg | 15-9-1-2 | $939,498 | 123 | 7 |
| 8 | Manchego (1) | 5tm | 13-6-2-2 | $606,171 | 115 | 10 |
| 9 | Atlanta | 5tm | 12-5-4-1 | $816,742 | 100 | 6 |
| 10 | Ramona Hill | 3tf | 10-6-1-1 | $968,282 | 94 | 8 |
ALSO: Anoka Hanover, 24; Test Of Faith, 12; Shartin N, 11; Cattlewash, 6; Sorella, 5; Leonidas A, Plunge Blue Chip, Venerate, 3; Action Uncle, Lindy The Great, 2; Charlie May, On A Streak, Peaky Sneaky, Pemberton, Ready For Moni, Yall Beneath Me, 1.
(with files from the USTA)
Is there really any need for
Is there really any need for holding another poll next week? Every horse in the top 10 has already either completed its season or completed its racing career. Shartin and Cattlewash, the only horses that received any points which will be racing this week have so few points that they won't crack the top 10 regardless of how well they do.