Freehold, NJ — No horses changed positions in this week’s harness racing Hambletonian Society / Breeders Crown Poll Top 10, but Fear The Dragon solidified his hold on No. 1.
Fear The Dragon, who won a division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for 3-year-old male pacers last weekend, received 33 of 35 first-place votes in this week’s balloting.
Ariana G, who took on the boys in the Zweig Memorial for 3-year-old trotters and finished second by a quarter-length to Yes Mickey, remained second in the poll. She was followed by Huntsville, who was fifth in the same PaSS division as Fear The Dragon, and idle Hannelore Hanover and Downbytheseaside.
The remaining five horses in the rankings — Marion Marauder, Resolve, Walner, Blazin Britches, and Agent Q — also did not see action last week.
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.
Rank |
Name (First Place Votes) |
Age/Gait/Sex |
Record |
Earnings |
Points |
Pvs |
1 |
Fear The Dragon (33) |
3pc |
12-10-2-0 |
$1,034,810 |
347 |
1 |
2 |
Ariana G (2) |
3tf |
8-6-1-1 |
$544,091 |
306 |
2 |
3 |
Huntsville |
3pc |
11-7-3-0 |
$885,838 |
224 |
3 |
4 |
Hannelore Hanover |
5tm |
7-4-2-0 |
$235,299 |
172 |
4 |
5 |
Downbytheseaside |
3pc |
10-6-1-2 |
$686,216 |
170 |
5 |
6 |
Marion Marauder |
4th |
5-3-1-1 |
$443,177 |
139 |
6 |
7 |
Resolve |
6th |
6-3-1-0 |
$327,070 |
131 |
7 |
8 |
Walner |
3tc |
2-2-0-0 |
$83,615 |
98 |
8 |
9 |
Blazin Britches |
3pf |
9-8-1-0 |
$123,392 |
73 |
9 |
10 |
Agent Q |
3pf |
9-6-2-0 |
$414,975 |
60 |
10 |
Manchego (38); Lady Shadow (32); Pasithea Face S (27); Devious Man (15); Percy Bluechip (13); Bit Of A Legend N, What The Hill (12); Keystone Velocity (11); Crazy Wow (8); Check Six (7); Nike Franco N (6); Yes Mickey (5); Dealt A Winner, Magic Presto, Perfect Spirit (4); Holy Trout, International Moni, Western Fame (2); Summer Travel (1).
by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications