Jiggy Jog S improves to No. 2 in Top 10

Jiggy Jog S (Walner), the winner of this past Saturday’s MGM Yonkers International Trot, made the biggest move in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll’s Top 10, vaulting from fourth to second in the Week 13 harness racing rankings released Tuesday.

The 5-year-old mare received 11 first-place votes and gained 69 points from a week ago as she took over the No. 2 spot from Karl. Twin B Joe Fresh, who was idle, remained No. 1 for the ninth straight week. She received 20 first-place votes, a decrease of four, and saw her points diminished by 12.

Karl, who won the last preliminary leg of the Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series for 3-year-old male trotters on Sunday, received three first-place votes, a decrease of seven, and dropped 19 points.

Nijinsky gained one spot in the rankings, going from fifth to fourth after winning the Simcoe Stakes for 3-year-old pacers over his stablemate Legendary Hanover on Saturday. Nijinsky received one first-place vote, the same as a week ago, but added 41 points. Legendary Hanover dropped from third to fifth.

The top-four horses in the rankings all exceeded 250 points, marking only the third time that has occurred in a span of 117 polls dating back to 2019.

Three horses in the second half of the Top 10 were idle: Its A Love Thing, Highland Kismet, and Chantilly. As for the other two, Warrawee Michelle was third in the New Jersey Classic final for 3-year-old female trotters and Captain Albano made a last-turn break while on the lead of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final for 3-year-old male pacers. He remained in the Top 10 by two points over International Trot runner-up Periculum.

The Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll, which will be released every Tuesday through the remainder of the Grand Circuit season, 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 13 – 9/10/2024

ALSO: Periculum 38; Rose 15; Abuckabett Hanover 13; Winner’s Bet 12; Desperate Man, Sir Pinocchio 8; Sabonis, Swingtown 5; Howlenthehills, Maryland, R Melina 4; It’s My Show, M-M’s Dream, Little Rocket Man, Louprint, My Girl EJ, Rocket Deo 3; Papi Grad 2; Elista Hanover, It’s Academic 1.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA