Lather Up climbs to No. 2 in this week’s poll
June 19, 2018,by Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager
Hightstown, NJ — North America Cup champion Lather Up surged to No. 2 in this week’s Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll, but was unable to overtake Hannelore Hanover in the top spot.
Hannelore Hanover, the 2017 Horse of the Year in the U.S. and Canada, increased her points (plus-13) and first-place votes (plus-6) thanks to her third consecutive Armbro Flight Stakes victory last weekend.
Lather Up, undefeated in six races this year, added 117 points and received four first-place votes. He was ranked No. 5 last week. Roses Are Red winner Shartin N gained 49 points this week, despite dropping her lone first-place vote from a week ago, and remained No. 3 in the rankings.
Filibuster Hanover, who was idle, dropped 61 points and slipped from second to fourth while idle Atlanta rounded out the top five.
Goodtimes Stakes winner Wolfgang added 93 points this week to join the Top 10, at No. 7. He was the only newcomer to the Top 10. Rockin Ron dropped from the group.
The Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll does not determine Horse of the Year. The U.S. Harness Writers Association votes in December 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.
|
Rank
|
Name (First Place Votes)
|
Age/Gait/Sex
|
Record
|
Earnings
|
Points
|
Pvs
|
|
1
|
Hannelore Hanover (30)
|
6tm
|
4-4-0-0
|
$208,338
|
338
|
1
|
|
2
|
Lather Up (4)
|
3pc
|
6-6-0-0
|
$458,165
|
297
|
5
|
|
3
|
Shartin N
|
5pm
|
14-11-1-0
|
$560,923
|
269
|
3
|
|
4
|
Filibuster Hanover (1)
|
4pg
|
5-5-0-0
|
$202,225
|
224
|
2
|
|
5
|
Atlanta
|
3tf
|
3-3-0-0
|
$127,284
|
191
|
4
|
|
6
|
Manchego
|
3tf
|
2-2-0-0
|
$43,240
|
143
|
6
|
|
7
|
Wolfgang
|
3tc
|
2-2-0-0
|
$112,630
|
96
|
—
|
|
8
|
|
9ph
|
9-3-4-1
|
$330,775
|
89
|
7
|
|
9
|
Will Take Charge
|
5tg
|
12-6-3-1
|
$205,268
|
52
|
8
|
|
10
|
Keystone Velocity
|
10ph
|
6-2-2-0
|
$320,000
|
49
|
9
|
- Lather Up’s connections reflect on Cup, look forward to Hempt (Wednesday, June 20, 2018)
When owner Gary Iles reflects on Lather Up’s win in last week’s Pepsi North America Cup at Woodbine Mohawk Park, he cannot help but feel blessed. Iles and his wife Barbara watched their homebred colt overcome a number of obstacles and horses to reach the top of the 3-year-old pacing ranks with his win in the C$1 million race.
- Hannelore Hanover tops first fan poll (Wednesday, June 20, 2018)
Fans this week were given the opportunity to vote on the Top 10 horses in the sport in a manner similar to the weekly Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll. The fans, like the voters in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown rankings, put Hannelore Hanover in the top spot.