Lather Up climbs to No. 2 in this week’s poll

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.

HambletonianSociety/Breeders Crown Standardbred Poll: Week 4 – 6/19/2018

Also:Homicide Hunter (27); Shower Play (24); Rockin Ron (20); Six Pack (19); JimmyFreight (13); Ariana G (11); Sintra (9); Done Well (8); Courtly Choice, Mach ItSo (6); McWicked (5); Emoticon Hanover, Stay Hungry (4); Alarm Detector, ElmoBlatch, In Secret, Kissin In The Sand, Trump Nation (3); Wes Delight (2);Dorsoduro Hanover, Fox Valley Gemini, Lost In Time, NF Happenstance (1).