This Is The Plan, fresh off his world-record 1:47.3 mile in the Battle of Lake Erie, narrowed the gap on No. 1-ranked Manchego in this week’s Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll. This Is The Plan, a six-year-old gelding, paced the fastest mile in history on a half-mile track last weekend and got within six points of idle Manchego as he moved from third to second in the rankings.
Abuckabett Hanover and Nicholas Beach, also idle last week, remained in the top five, which was completed by Graduate Series division-winning trotter Its Academic.
Two newcomers joined the Top 10 as Captain Barbossa and Hypnotic AM grabbed the final spots. Captain Barbossa won a Graduate Series division for pacers in a season-best 1:47.1 while Hypnotic AM won a Graduate Series division for trotters in a career-best 1:50.3.
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 3 – June 8, 2021
| Rank | Name (First Votes) | A/S/G | Record | Earnings | Points | Pvs |
| 1 | Manchego (20) | 6mt | 2-2-0-0 | $117,095 | 327 | 1 |
| 2 | This Is The Plan (11) | 6gp | 9-3-6-0 | $449,500 | 321 | 3 |
| 3 | Abuckabett Hanover (1) | 3cp | 3-3-0-0 | $72,686 | 239 | 2 |
| 4 | Nicholas Beach (2) | 5gp | 7-5-2-0 | $107,950 | 186 | 4 |
| 5 | Its Academic | 4ht | 10-5-1-2 | $173,680 | 183 | 5 |
| 6 | Machnhope | 6mp | 16-7-3-3 | $239,127 | 116 | 7 |
| 7 | Southwind Gendry | 3gp | 3-2-1-0 | $89,689 | 93 | 6 |
| 8 | Alexa Skye | 4mp | 12-8-3-0 | $150,874 | 56 | 8 |
| 9 | Captain Barbossa | 4gp | 5-3-1-0 | $68,250 | 52 | — |
| 10 | Hypnotic AM | 4mt | 3-1-1-0 | $39,900 | 45 | — |
ALSO: Perfect Sting 41; Keep Rockin A 33; Winning Ticket 31; Whiskey Blu 27; Captain Corey 18; Really Fast 15; American History, Ruthless Hanover 13; Allywag Hanover, Test Of Faith 11; Hot Mess Express 9; Next Level Stuff, South Beach Star 8; Lindy The Great 7; Rockin Nola 6; Always A Miki, Lyons Steel, Rattle My Cage, When Dovescry 5; Leonidas A, Rockapelo, Western Joe 4; Anoka Hanover, Beltassima, Funnyfunnyriddle, Love Muffin, Southwind Amazon 3; Mallard Hanover, One Eight Hundred, Poseidon Seelster 2; Ahundreddollarbill, Lady Chaos, Soho Burning Love A 1.
Winning Ticket received 1 first-place vote.
(USTA)