Twin B Joe Fresh leads Top 10 poll for 14th straight week

Only five horses receiving votes in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll were in harness racing action last week, resulting in little movement in the Week 18 rankings released Tuesday. The only shift occurred with Nijinsky (Bettors Delight), who won an Ontario Sire Stakes championship, moving up from seventh to sixth in a swap of positions with idle Maryland (Chapter Seven).

Chantilly (Big Jim), who also won an Ontario Sire Stakes title, was the only other horse in the Top 10 in action. The undefeated filly remained No. 3 in the rankings but picked up one first-place vote.

Twin B Joe Fresh  (Roll With Joe) stayed at No. 1 for the 14th consecutive week, followed by Jiggy Jog S (Walner). Captain Albano (Captaintreacherous) and Karl  (Tactical Landing) rounded out the top five.

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.

ALSO: R Melina 35; Abuckabett Hanover 34; Winner’s Bet 28; Its A Love Thing 25; Rose 24; Logan Park 22; Highland Kismet 19; Rocket Deo 18; Call Me Goo, Little Rocket Man 10; Sabonis 9; You Got It Kemp 6; Louprint, Paquet 4; Direction, Mirage Hanover 3; It’s My Show, Odds On Platinum, Papi Grad 2; Cleomax Duharas, Greenspan, My Girl EJ, Sylvia Hanover, Warrawee Michelle 1.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA