Three-year-old pacing colt Confederate topped the Week 15 edition of the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll released on Tuesday, Sept. 19.
Confederate, who won the Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series final on Sunday at The Red Mile, was No. 1 for the fifth consecutive week, followed by the idle quartet of Sylvia Hanover, Bythemissal, Its My Show and Its Academic.
Seven Colors, Alrajah One IT and Tattoo Artist occupied the next three spots.
Geocentric moved into the Top 10 at No. 9 following her win in the KYSS Championship Series final while T C I landed at No. 10 after winning the Peter Haughton Memorial. Geocentric was previously in the Top 10 in Week 13, at 10th.
Special Way and Tactical Approach dropped from the Top 10. Special Way finished second in her KYSS Championship Series final while Tactical Approach was fourth in his KYSS Championship Series final.
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 15 – Sept. 19, 2023
| Rank | Name (First Votes) | A/S/G | Record | Earnings (USD) | Points | Pvs |
| 1 | Confederate (33) | 3cp | 9-8-1-0 | $1,077,929 | 346 | 1 |
| 2 | Sylvia Hanover (1) | 3fp | 8-7-0-0 | $355,884 | 308 | 2 |
| 3 | Bythemissal | 4gp | 9-7-1-0 | $419,741 | 206 | 3 |
| 4 | Its My Show | 3gp | 11-8-2-0 | $623,584 | 179 | 4 |
| 5 | Its Academic | 6ht | 12-7-2-2 | $638,951 | 133 | 5 |
| 6 | Seven Colors (1) | 3cp | 14-7-1-3 | $477,220 | 112 | 7 |
| 7 | Alrajah One IT | 7ht | 1-1-0-0 | $196,100 | 105 | 6 |
| 8 | Tattoo Artist | 6hp | 17-5-5-1 | $664,522 | 80 | 9 |
| 9 | Geocentric | 2fp | 7-7-0-0 | $494,501 | 74 | — |
| 10 | T C I | 2ct | 9-8-1-0 | $677,470 | 60 | — |
ALSO: Tactical Approach 50; Grace Hill 49; Special Way 48; Twin B Joe Fresh 38; Legendary Hanover 27; M Ms Dream 26; Jiggy Jog S 24; Cannibal 18; Bond, Silver Label 8; Drawn Impression 6; Covered Bridge 5; Allywag Hanover, Righteous Resolve, Sig Sauer 3; Newsroom, Pass Line 2; Clever Cody, Funtime Bayama 1.
(With files from USTA)
Alrajah One number seven???
I cannot understand how Alrajah One, who, in late September, has only raced once all year, can be ranked in the top ten. Even a thoroughbred that only raced once in almost 10 months would never make the top 10. How about Shark Week, who paced the fastest mile in history in Western Canada, and has 14 wins this year? How about Vertical Horizon, the only horse in North America that is undefeated in 2023 and has made more than 10 starts? Surely the voters can do better than this.