Jiggy Jog S, who won the Graduate Series final for four-year-old trotters this past Saturday at The Meadowlands, took over the No. 1 spot from Its My Show in the Week 5 edition of the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll released on Tuesday, July 11.
Its My Show, who on Friday made his first appearance since winning the North America Cup by qualifying in 1:50.1 at the Big M, had been No. 1 since the rankings debuted on June 13. He dropped to second.
Sylvia Hanover, who qualified in 1:52.3 last week at Mohawk, and Special Way, who was idle, remained third and fourth, respectively, while Meadowlands Pace elimination winner Confederate moved up from seventh to fifth.
Except for No. 10 Covered Bridge, the remainder of the Top 10 was idle. Covered Bridge won Monday’s Open Handicap at Yonkers.
The Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll 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 5 – July 11, 2023
| Rank | Name (First Votes) | A/S/G | Record | Earnings (USD) | Points | Pvs |
| 1 | Jiggy Jog S (17) | 4mt | 4-4-0-0 | $241,645 | 326 | 2 |
| 2 | Its My Show (17) | 3gp | 6-6-0-0 | $460,084 | 319 | 1 |
| 3 | Sylvia Hanover | 3fp | 3-3-0-0 | $180,755 | 256 | 3 |
| 4 | Special Way (1) | 3ft | 3-3-0-0 | $150,000 | 190 | 4 |
| 5 | Confederate | 3cp | 4-3-1-0 | $222,250 | 180 | 7 |
| 6 | Ruthless Hanover | 6gp | 8-5-1-1 | $176,202 | 167 | 5 |
| 7 | Grace Hill | 5mp | 6-5-1-0 | $207,722 | 126 | 6 |
| 8 | Up Your Deo | 3ct | 4-3-0-1 | $213,800 | 54 | 9 |
| 9 | Lochinvar Art A | 8hp | 13-6-3-2 | $274,817 | 50 | 8 |
| 10 | Covered Bridge | 7gp | 22-11-1-5 | $336,860 | 46 | 10 |
ALSO: Bond 33; Cannibal, It’s Academic 21; Venerate 19; Air Power 15; Stonebridge Helios 13; Abuckabett Hanover 12; Linedrive Hanover, Voukefalas 9; Hellabalou 8; Yanks Dugout 7; Bella Bellini 5; Ari Ferrari J, Khaosan Road, T H McMurry 4; Charlie May, Fulton, Ima Doll, Sadie Hanover, Silver Label, Stockade Seelster 3; C Is For Cookie, Newsroom, Poseidon Seelster 2; Earthwindfire, Looks Like Moni, Roll Em 1.
(USTA)
Its my Show
I have to admit Bythemissal was absolutely flying in the last quarter of that qualifier. He's an older horse who won 13 of 16 last year including the Jug. Its My show was qualifying to stay sharp for the Adios next week. On that note for voters to jump off an undefeated horse who was not eligible to The Pace a mite critical :)
Bythemissal
#2 It's My Show qualified in 1:50.1 on Friday at The Meadowlands in a race that was won by Bythemissal in 1:49.4, but there's more to the story than that: Bythemissal's last quarter time was an unbelievable 24.4!!