New Zealand-bred pacing mare Shartin N is the No. 1-ranked horse in this year’s first Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll. The six-year-old Shartin N, a Dan Patch Award winner last season, has won six of seven races this year including the Blue Chip Matchmaker championship, Betsy Ross Invitational and Sam “Chip” Noble III Memorial.
Six-year-old pacing stallion Western Fame, who won the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series championship, is No. 2 followed by three-year-old colt pacers Captain Crunch, a returning Dan Patch Award winner who is a two-time victor on the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes circuit, and Bettors Wish, who captured the Art Rooney Pace. Miami Valley Distaff winner Atlanta, last season’s Trotter of the Year, rounds out the top five.
Commodore Barry Invitational winner Courtly Choice is ranked sixth, followed by Empire Breeders Classic champ Gimpanzee, who was an undefeated Dan Patch Award winner in 2018, and Confederation Cup winner Done Well. Greenshoe, a winner on the New Jersey Sire Stakes circuit, and returning Horse of the Year McWicked, who won a preferred at Woodbine Mohawk Park in his only start of the campaign, complete the top 10.
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 1 – 5/28/2019
| Rank | Name (First Votes) | Age/Gait/Sex | Record | Earnings | Points | Pvs |
| 1 | Shartin N (28) | 6pm | 7-6-0-0 | $369,500 | 342 | — |
| 2 | Western Fame (3) | 6ph | 8-5-1-1 | $448,800 | 229 | — |
| 3 | Captain Crunch (2) | 3pc | 2-2-0-0 | $57,818 | 179 | — |
| 4 | Bettor’s Wish | 3pc | 3-3-0-0 | $180,000 | 142 | — |
| 5 | Atlanta (1) | 4tm | 1-1-0-0 | $50,000 | 119 | — |
| 6 | Courtly Choice | 4ph | 3-2-0-0 | $74,000 | 112 | — |
| 7 | Gimpanzee | 3tc | 1-1-0-0 | $107,600 | 84 | — |
| 8 | Done Well | 4pg | 3-2-1-0 | $88,870 | 74 | — |
| 9 | Greenshoe | 3tc | 1-1-0-0 | $12,500 | 72 | — |
| 10 | McWicked (1) | 8ph | 1-1-0-0 | $12,580 | 66 | — |
Also: Rodeo Rock, 64; Highalator, Ideal Jimmy, 53; Guardian Angel As, 51; Caviart Ally, 45; Bettor Joy N, 30; Six Pack, 23; Sunny Dee, 20; Workin Ona Mystery, 17; Southwind Ozzi, 16; Century Farroh, 15; Sintra, 14; Apple Bottom Jeans, 12; Osterc, Trolley, 11; Lather Up, 10; Tiger Thompson N, 8; All Champy, 7; Evident Beauty, 6; Phaetosive, Queen Of The Pride, 5; Haveoneforme, Kates Massive, Swansea, 4; Always A Prince, Quincy Blue Chip, Seaswift Joy N, 3; Tequila Monday, Thinkbig Dreambig, 2; Bestseller Hanover, Cruzado Dela Noche, Sonnet Grace, Rich And Miserable, The Wall, 1.
(USTA)