Cool Papa Bell joins Top Ten ranks

Hightstown, NJ — Cool Papa Bell returned to the Top 10 in the Week 15 Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll released Tuesday (Sept. 13)  following a track-record harness racing performance in the New York Sire Stakes championship for 3-year-old male trotters this past Saturday (Sept. 10) at Tioga Downs.

The gelding, who was ranked No. 9 this week, previously enjoyed three weeks in the Top 10 following his victory in the Hambletonian in August. Cool Papa Bell was the only newcomer in this week’s Top 10, which saw little movement as a number of ranked horses posted victories over the weekend.

Idle No. 1 Bulldog Hanover remained in the top spot but dropped a first-place vote to No. 2 Joviality S, a 3-year-old female trotter who also won a New York Sire Stakes championship Saturday with a track-record effort.

Following those two were Beach Glass, who won a division of the Simcoe Stakes, and Test Of Faith, who captured an elimination of the Milton Stakes. Bella Bellini finished second in a leg of the Miss Versatility Series and dropped 32 points but remained at No. 5 just ahead of New Jersey Classic Series winner Fashion Schooner.

The remaining horses in the Top 10 – Bythemissal, Alrajah One IT, and Stockade Seelster – were idle.

Pebble Beach dropped from the Top 10.

The Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll 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.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA