Miki And Minnie stays No. 1 in Top 10 rankings

Miki And Minnie (Always B Miki) remained No. 1 in the Week 12 edition of the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll released Wednesday while the race tightened behind her for spots two through four and a newcomer joined the Top 10.

Miki And Minnie, who was idle, held the top spot for the fifth consecutive week but saw one of her first-place votes transferred to Louprint, who after being sidelined for several weeks returned to action with a harness racing victory in a division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes.

Louprint, who remained fourth in the rankings, added 42 points to get within nine of idle No. 2 Sylvia Hanover. Third-ranked Yo Tillie, who won a New Jersey Classic elimination, was only two points behind Sylvia Hanover after adding 34 points from a week ago.

Ontario Sire Stakes leg winner Beau Jangles and Pennsylvania Sire Stakes division winner Prince Hal Hanover both moved up two spots in the poll, to No. 7 and No. 8, respectively. Emoticon Legacy jumped into the Top 10, at No. 9, following his stakes-record 1:50.3 triumph in the Grade 3 Simcoe last week.

Periculum, who finished second to Lexus Kody in his Canadian-record 1:49.1 score in the Grade 1 Maple Leaf Trot, fell from eighth to 10th.

Nordic Catcher S dropped out of the Top 10.

The Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll, which will continue weekly on Wednesdays through the Grand Circuit season, does not determine year-end awards. 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.

ALSO: Nordic Catcher S 60; Lexus Kody 39; Captain Albano 13; Elista Hanover 11; Conversano, Ken Hanover 10; Aetos Kronos S 7; Maximus Miki 6; Bythemissal, Endurance, R Dutchess 4; A Clean Deal, Ardonne, Sippinonsearoc 3; Ervin Hanover, On To Norway, Rodeo Drive Deo, Warrawee Michelle 2; Dandy Ideal, Go Dog Go, Little Rocket Man 1.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA