Huntsville Climbs To No. 2 In This Week’s Poll
Meadowlands Pace winner Huntsville moved to No. 2 in this week’s Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll while stakes-winners Walner and Agent Q joined the Top 10.
Huntsville rose from fourth in last week’s rankings to sit behind idle No. 1 Fear The Dragon. Hannelore Hanover, who won a division of the Miss Versatility on Saturday, remained third while Delvin Miller Memorial division winner Ariana G moved up a spot to fourth.
Lady Shadow, who lost for the first time when she finished second to Nike Franco N in the Golden Girls, dropped from second to fifth.
Walner makes his first appearance in the Top 10, at No. 6, after winning a division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial in a stakes-record 1:50.2. Hambletonian Maturity winner Marion Marauder jumped three places to No. 7 while Mistletoe Shalee winner Agent Q takes the 10th spot.
The Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll does not determine Horse of the Year. The U.S. Harness Writers Association votes in December 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.
<style=”margin: 0pt;”=”” 0in=””>Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown Standardbred Poll: Week 8 – 7/18/2017
| Rank | Name (First Place Votes) | Age/Gait/Sex | Record | Earnings | Points | Pvs |
| 1 | Fear The Dragon (24) | 3pc | 8-7-1-0 | $711,953 | 313 | 1 |
| 2 | Huntsville (5) | 3pc | 7-5-2-0 | $614,341 | 269 | 4 |
| 3 | Hannelore Hanover (4) | 5tm | 5-4-1-0 | $161,138 | 266 | 3 |
| 4 | Ariana G | 3tf | 5-4-0-1 | $193,872 | 200 | 5 |
| 5 | Lady Shadow | 6pm | 6-5-1-0 | $328,235 | 179 | 2 |
| 6 | Walner (2) | 3tc | 2-2-0-0 | $83,615 | 175 | — |
| 7 | Marion Marauder | 4th | 4-3-0-1 | $372,717 | 162 | 10 |
| 8 | Downbytheseaside | 3pc | 8-5-1-1 | $498,906 | 121 | 7 |
| 9 | Crazy Wow | 5th | 6-3-3-0 | $324,000 | 77 | 6 |
| 10 | Agent Q | 3pf | 8-5-2-0 | $379,124 | 40 | — |
Also: Keystone Velocity (38); Resolve (17); Devious Man (15); Nike Franco N (12); Long Tom (11); Mach It So (7); Sintra (6); International Moni (5); Emoticon Hanover, Tuonoblu Rex (4); Beckhams Z Tam, Holy Trout, Mossdale Conner N, Obrigado (1).
by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications