Top 10 sees three make big gains

Little Brown Jug harness racing winner Captain Albano (Captaintreacherous), She’s A Great Lady champion Chantilly (Big Jim), and Mohawk Million winner Maryland (Chapter Seven) made big gains in the Week 15 edition of the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll, which was released Tuesday.

Captain Albano added 160 points from a week ago and received one first-place vote as he vaulted from No. 10 to No. 4 following his sweep of his elimination and the final of the Little Brown Jug.

Chantilly, unbeaten in seven starts, added 89 points and also garnered a first-place vote as she rose from seventh to fifth in the rankings. Maryland, who won the Mohawk Million in a Canadian-record 1:52.3, nearly duplicated Chantilly’s points improvement. He upped his total by 88 and cracked the Top 10 for the first time this season, coming in at No. 8.

No. 1 Twin B Joe Fresh (Roll With Joe) and No. 2 Jiggy Jog S (Walner) did not compete last week. Neither did Karl (Tactical Landing), who moved up from fourth to third as Nijinsky (Bettors Delight) dropped from third to sixth following his sixth-place finish in his Little Brown Jug elimination.

Also dropping following their races last week were No. 7 Legendary Hanover (Huntsville), who was third in both his elim and the final of the Little Brown Jug, and No. 10 Highland Kismet (Father Patrick), who made a break in the Canadian Trotting Classic. Its A Love Thing (Bettor’s Delight), who was idle, got bumped down a notch by Maryland’s arrival in the Top 10.

Warrawee Michelle, who was idle, dropped out of the Top 10.

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 15 – 9/24/2024

ALSO: Winner’s Bet 32; Sabonis 19; Little Rocket Man, Warrawee Michelle 17; Periculum 14; Rose 12; Louprint 10; Call Me Goo, Soft Shot 7; Abuckabett Hanover, French Champagne, It’s My Show, Monalishi, Sir Pinocchio 4; Desperate Man, Direction 3; Amazing Catch, Fallout, My Girl EJ, Rocket Deo 2; Greenspan 1.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA