Tall Dark Stranger remains on top of poll; Party Girl Hill now No. 2
October 13, 2020,Hightstown, NJ — Three-year-old pacing colt Tall Dark Stranger remained No. 1 in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll, holding a 10-point lead over 3-year-old pacing filly Party Girl Hill, who moved from third to second. Each horse won a division of the Tattersalls Pace last week at Red Mile, with Party Girl Hill becoming the second pacing filly in 30 years to defeat male rivals in a race worth at least $100,000.
Tall Dark Stranger received 21 of 35 first-place votes. Party Girl Hill received the remaining 14.
Ramona Hill, who went off stride in the Kentucky Filly Futurity, dropped from second to third in the rankings. Allerage Farms Open Trot winner Atlanta swapped places with Allerage Farms Open Trot sixth-place finisher Gimpanzee to round out the top five.
Perfect Sting remained unbeaten with a victory in a division of the International Stallion Stakes and moved from ninth to sixth. Shartin N, who was idle, dropped from sixth to seventh. Allerage Farms Mare Pace winner Kissin In The Sand was eighth, up from No. 10, and was followed by two newcomers to the top 10: Allerage Farms Open Pace winner Bettor’s Wish and International Stallion division winner Test Of Faith.
The Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll does not determine Horse of the Year. The members of the U.S. Harness Writers Association vote 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.
Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown Standardbred Poll: Week 14 – 10/13/2020
| Rank | Name (First Votes) | A/G/S | Record | Earnings | Points | Pvs |
| 1 | Tall Dark Stranger (21) | 3pc | 11-10-0-0 | $1,177,681 | 335 | 1 |
| 2 | Party Girl Hill (14) | 3pf | 13-13-0-0 | $736,620 | 325 | 3 |
| 3 | Ramona Hill | 3tf | 9-6-1-1 | $915,615 | 255 | 2 |
| 4 | Atlanta | 5tm | 10-5-3-0 | $613,814 | 228 | 5 |
| 5 | Gimpanzee | 4th | 9-6-1-1 | $718,464 | 147 | 4 |
| 6 | Perfect Sting | 2pc | 8-8-0-0 | $304,300 | 139 | 9 |
| 7 | Shartin N | 7pm | 7-5-2-0 | $326,269 | 120 | 6 |
| 8 | Kissin In The Sand | 5pm | 9-5-1-0 | $257,484 | 104 | 10 |
| 9 | Bettor’s Wish | 4ph | 9-4-1-2 | $372,232 | 73 | — |
| 10 | Test Of Faith | 2pf | 9-8-1-0 | $500,000 | 50 | — |
ALSO: Sorella 49; Amigo Volo 19; Ready For Moni 15; Action Uncle, Tattoo Artist 11; Manchego 9; Donna Soprano 7; Charlie May 5; Southwind Gendry 4; Venerate 3; Cattlewash, Hypnotic AM, Peaky Sneaky, Reflect With Me, Southwind Tyrion, Warrawee Vital 2; Captain Corey, Cuatro De Julio, Love A Good Story, Pemberton 1.