Twin B Joe Fresh solid #1 in Top Ten poll

Twin B Joe Fresh and Karl remained No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, while Captain Albano made his first Top 10 appearance of the harness racing season in the Week 10 edition of the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll released Tuesday (Aug. 20).

Last week, Twin B Joe Fresh won the Cleopatra Invitational at Eldorado Scioto Downs in a track-record 1:48.2. It was the 4-year-old female pacer’s seventh consecutive victory after opening her 2024 campaign with a second-place finish.

Karl also was victorious last week, capturing the second leg of the Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series in 1:51.1 at Lexington’s Red Mile. It was the 3-year-old male trotter’s first start since his Hambletonian triumph on Aug. 3, and his third straight win.

Jiggy Jog S and Nijinsky followed the top two, with both moving up one spot after posting victories last week. Jiggy Jog S won the Sebastian K Invitational and Nijinsky won the fourth leg of the Ontario Sire Stakes Gold. Completing the top five was Legendary Hanover, who dropped from third after a nose loss to Captain Albano in the Max C. Hempt Memorial.

Captain Albano cracked the Top 10 at No. 8, following sixth-ranked Its A Love Thing, who was idle, and seventh-ranked Warrawee Michelle, who jumped three spots after winning the Delmonica Hanover last week.

Highland Kismet, who was idle, and Papi Grad, who won a division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes, completed the Top 10.

M-M’s Dream, who was idle, dropped from 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 10 – 8/20/2024

ALSO: M-M’s Dream 46; Odds On Platinum 16; Abuckabett Hanover, Southwind Tyrion 11; Sig Sauer 10; Sippinonsearoc 8; Chantilly 6; Elista Hanover, Sir Pinocchio 5; Yo Tillie 4; Coaches Corner, Sabonis, Swingtown 3; It’s Academic, Rocket Deo 2; Greenspan, Logan Park, Redwood Hanover, Ruthless Hanover, Tactical Mounds 1.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA