Fear The Dragon’s lead narrows in Poll
August 15, 2017,by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications
Freehold, NJ — The competition for the top spot in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll heated up this week, with the gap between No. 1 and No. 2 narrowing to its closest margin of the season.
Fear The Dragon remained No. 1 for the ninth consecutive week, but saw his lead over No. 2 Ariana G reduced to eight points. Fear The Dragon finished second to stablemate Downbytheseaside in last weekend’s Milstein Memorial while Ariana G was idle.
Huntsville and Hannelore Hanover, also idle, were the next two horses in the poll. Downbytheseaside vaulted from No. 9 to No. 5 in the rankings, representing the largest shift of the week.
Agent Q, who won a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes division for 3-year-old female pacers, joined the rankings at No. 10.
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.
HambletonianSociety/Breeders Crown Standardbred Poll: Week 12 – 8/15/2017
|
Rank
|
Name (First Place Votes)
|
Age/Gait/Sex
|
Record
|
Earnings
|
Points
|
Pvs
|
|
1
|
Fear The Dragon (18)
|
3pc
|
11-9-2-0
|
$999,453
|
320
|
1
|
|
2
|
Ariana G (13)
|
3tf
|
7-6-0-1
|
$464,091
|
312
|
2
|
|
3
|
Huntsville (3)
|
3pc
|
10-7-3-0
|
$882,303
|
274
|
3
|
|
4
|
Hannelore Hanover
|
5tm
|
7-4-2-0
|
$235,299
|
160
|
4
|
|
5
|
Downbytheseaside (1)
|
3pc
|
10-6-1-2
|
$686,216
|
148
|
9
|
|
6
|
Marion Marauder
|
4th
|
5-3-1-1
|
$443,177
|
133
|
5
|
|
7
|
Resolve
|
6th
|
6-3-1-0
|
$327,070
|
120
|
6
|
|
8
|
|
3tc
|
2-2-0-0
|
$83,615
|
110
|
7
|
|
9
|
Blazin Britches
|
3pf
|
9-8-1-0
|
$123,392
|
73
|
8
|
|
10
|
Agent Q
|
3pf
|
9-6-2-0
|
$414,975
|
49
|
—
|
Also:Manchego (44); Lady Shadow (39); Check Six (20); Devious Man (19); What TheHill (16); Keystone Velocity (12); Crazy Wow (11); Pasithea Face S, PerfectSpirit (10); Foiled Again (8); Clear Idea (6); Fourth Dimension, You Know YouDo (5); Bit Of A Legend N (4); Barn Bella, International Moni (3); Nike FrancoN, Tequila Monday (2); Holy Trout, Jan, JL Cruze, Magic Presto, Percy Bluechip,Summer Travel, Two AM (1).