by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Freehold, NJ — This week’s Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll features a season-low number of horses receiving votes, 21, but a season-high number receiving at least one first-place nod, eight.

The previous high for horses receiving first-place votes was seven, set in Week 1 when 37 horses got at least one point.

Always B Miki remains No. 1 in the rankings, although his margin over second-place Wiggle It Jiggleit dropped from 48 points to eight.

Hannelore Hanover, the winner of last week’s Fresh Yankee, is No. 3 — up one spot — while Hambletonian champion Marion Marauder vaults into the Top 10 at No. 4. Marion Marauder is the only newcomer.

Cane Pace winner Control The Moment moves from ninth in the rankings to fifth while Hambletonian runner-up Southwind Frank slips to seventh from third.

The Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll does not determine Horse of the Year. The U.S. Harness Writers Association votes in December on all 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.

Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown Standardbred Poll: Week 12 – 8/9/2016

Also: Resolve (47); All The Time (33); Shamballa (31); Freaky Feet Pete (19); What The Hill (14); Obrigado (13); Bar Hopping (11); Ariana G (8); Bee A Magician (3); Bit Of A Legend N (2), Caprice Hill (2).

Resolve received 1 first-place vote.