by Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager

Hightstown, NJ — Hannelore Hanover finds herself in a familiar spot in the year’s first Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll. The female trotter, now age 6, ended 2017 at No. 1 and opens this season at the top again. The defending Horse of the Year is 2-for-2 this year, with victories in the Cutler Memorial and a leg of the Great Northeast Open Series for trotters.

Shartin N, a 5-year-old female pacer who leads harness racing in purses, is No. 2. She counts the Blue Chip Matchmaker championship, Betsy Ross Invitational, and Sam “Chip” Noble Memorial among her 10 wins in 12 races.

Rounding out the top five are 4-year-old male pacer Filibuster Hanover, 5-year-old male trotter Will Take Charge, and 10-year-old male pacer Keystone Velocity. Filibuster Hanover, unbeaten in four starts this year, won Sunday’s Commodore Barry while Will Take Charge captured the Maxie Lee Memorial with a world-record-equaling performance.

The remainder of the Top 10 finds 3-year-old female trotter Atlanta at No. 6 followed by 6-year-old male pacer Rockin Ron, 3-year-old female trotter Manchego, 4-year-old female trotter Ariana G, and 3-year-old male pacer Trump Nation.

Atlanta won Monday’s Empire Breeders Classic at Vernon Downs with a track-record 1:50.3 mile. Rockin Ron and Trump Nation also were winners over the Memorial Day weekend, with Rockin Ron winning the inaugural Camluck Classic (formerly Molson Pace) and Trump Nation victorious in the Art Rooney Pace.

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.