Southwind Gendry, who won one of last week’s two Meadowlands Pace eliminations, took the final spot in the Top 10 in this week’s Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll. The gelding was the only newcomer in the Top 10.
This Is The Plan, Manchego, Test Of Faith, and Atlanta — all idle last week — were unchanged in positions one through four. Hot Mess Express, also idle, moved from seventh to fifth as Its Academic and American Courage slid in the rankings following losses last week. Its Academic was third in the Graduate Series Trot final and American Courage was fourth in the Meadowlands Pace elim won by Southwind Gendry
Perfect Sting, ranked ninth this week, was third in the Southwind Gendry elim. Abuckabett Hanover dropped out of the Top 10 after finishing fifth in the same race.
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 8 – July 13, 2021
| Rank | Name (First Votes) | A/S/G | Record | Earnings | Points | Pvs |
| 1 | This Is The Plan (16) | 6gp | 11-4-7-0 | $515,675 | 323 | 1 |
| 2 | Manchego (15) | 6mt | 4-3-0-1 | $147,971 | 317 | 2 |
| 3 | Test Of Faith (1) | 3fp | 4-4-0-0 | $137,700 | 231 | 3 |
| 4 | Atlanta (1) | 6mt | 2-2-0-0 | $93,320 | 197 | 4 |
| 5 | Hot Mess Express (2) | 3fp | 5-5-0-0 | $183,750 | 145 | 7 |
| 6 | Its Academic | 4ht | 13-6-1-3 | $237,764 | 99 | 5 |
| 7 | Nicholas Beach | 5gp | 7-5-2-0 | $107,950 | 86 | 9 |
| 8 | American Courage | 3cp | 5-4-0-0 | $292,375 | 74 | 6 |
| 9 | Perfect Sting | 3cp | 4-2-1-1 | $101,677 | 56 | 10 |
| 10 | Southwind Gendry | 3gp | 5-3-2-0 | $151,772 | 55 | — |
ALSO: Johan Palema 53; Lyons Sentinel 43; Cattlewash 39; Abuckabett Hanover 26; Ready For Moni 24; Charlie May 17; Racine Bell 15; Venerate, Wheels On Fire 13; Winning Ticket 11; Ruthless Hanover 10; Dancinginthedark M 9; Bulldog Hanover 8; Catch The Fire 6; Iteration, Machnhope 5; Ahundreddollarbill, Gotthegreenlight, When Dovescry 4; Heart Of Chewbacca, Lindy The Great, Sea Silk 3; Beads, Forbidden Trade, Hypnotic AM, I Did It Myway, Lit De Rose, One Eight Hundred, Piper Hanover, Venerable 2; Alexa Skye, Bella Bellini, Beltissima, Poseidon Seelster, Powertrain, Soaring Now, Southwind Amazon, Whiskey Blu 1.
(USTA)