Mel Mara is lone newcomer in Poll
June 7, 2016,by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications
Freehold, NJ — Seven-year-old male pacer Mel Mara is the lone newcomer in this week’s Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown Poll, joining the rankings at No. 10 off his world-record-equaling 1:47 performance last Saturday in the Open Handicap at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
None of the top four horses in the poll were active last week, and none saw any change in his or her position in the rankings. Four-year-old male pacer Wiggle It Jiggleit remained the unanimous No. 1, followed by 4-year-old male pacer Rockin Ron, New Zealand-bred 7-year-old male pacer Bit Of A Legend, and 6-year-old female trotter Bee A Magician.
Freshly-minted New Jersey Sire Stakes champion 3-year-old male trotter Southwind Frank moved from seventh to fifth in the poll, followed by Graduate division winner Freaky Feet Pete, who moved up to No. 6 from eighth.
Rounding out the Top 10 are 3-year-old male pacer Check Six and 4-year-old male trotter Maestro Blue Chip.
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.
HambletonianSociety/Breeders Crown Standardbred Poll: Week 3 – 6/7/2016
|
Rank
|
Name (First Place Votes)
|
A/G/S
|
Record
|
Earnings
|
Points
|
Pvs
|
|
1
|
Wiggle It Jiggleit (35)
|
4pg
|
9-6-3-0
|
$389,765
|
350
|
1
|
|
2
|
Rockin Ron
|
4pg
|
12-10-2-0
|
$257,690
|
215
|
2
|
|
3
|
|
7ph
|
13-9-2-0
|
$473,750
|
198
|
3
|
|
4
|
Bee A Magician
|
6tm
|
3-3-0-0
|
$107,000
|
166
|
4
|
|
5
|
Southwind Frank
|
3tc
|
2-2-0-0
|
$62,500
|
164
|
7
|
|
6
|
Freaky Feet Pete
|
4ph
|
5-4-0-1
|
$93,326
|
144
|
8
|
|
7
|
|
5ph
|
4-2-2-0
|
$37,500
|
110
|
5
|
|
8
|
Check Six
|
3pc
|
5-4-1-0
|
$348,706
|
79
|
6
|
|
9
|
Maestro Blue Chip
|
4th
|
11-10-0-1
|
$154,000
|
73
|
10
|
|
10
|
Mel Mara
|
7ph
|
11-3-3-0
|
$57,190
|
62
|
—
|
Also:Resolve (61); All Bets Off (35); Pinkman (34); Pure Country (26); RockeyedOptimist (21); Betting Line, Shamballa (17); Darlinonthebeach (16); Blue MoonStride (15); Nickle Bag, Obrigado (13); Missile J (12); Cufflink Hanover (11);Yagonnakissmeornot (10); Venus Delight (9); JL Cruze (8); Good Will Hanover,Lyons Snyder, Musical Rhythm (6); Dayson, Katies Rocker, Witch Dali (4); AdrianHanover, Boston Red Rocks, I Said Diamonds (3); Hannelore Hanover, Rose RunParker (2); L A Delight, Seventimesavirgin, Southwind Hope (1).