by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications
Freehold, NJ — It will be No. 1 vs. No. 2 in Saturday’s Delvin Miller Adios at The Meadows.
Fear The Dragon and Huntsville were the only horses in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll Top 10 in action last week and each won his Adios elimination to set up Saturday’s showdown in western Pennsylvania.
Brian Brown-trained Fear The Dragon has held the No. 1 spot for six consecutive weeks. Ray Schnittker’s Huntsville is in his second week at No. 2.
Fear The Dragon won this year’s North America Cup and Huntsville won the Meadowlands 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.
HambletonianSociety/Breeders Crown Standardbred Poll: Week 9 – 7/25/2017
|
Rank
|
Name (First Place Votes)
|
Age/Gait/Sex
|
Record
|
Earnings
|
Points
|
Pvs
|
|
1
|
Fear The Dragon (25)
|
3pc
|
9-8-1-0
|
$724,453
|
324
|
1
|
|
2
|
Huntsville (4)
|
3pc
|
8-6-2-0
|
$626,841
|
289
|
2
|
|
3
|
Hannelore Hanover (4)
|
5tm
|
5-4-1-0
|
$161,138
|
259
|
3
|
|
4
|
Ariana G
|
3tf
|
5-4-0-1
|
$193,872
|
207
|
4
|
|
5
|
Walner (2)
|
3tc
|
2-2-0-0
|
$83,615
|
198
|
6
|
|
6
|
Lady Shadow
|
6pm
|
6-5-1-0
|
$328,235
|
163
|
5
|
|
7
|
Marion Marauder
|
4th
|
4-3-0-1
|
$372,717
|
160
|
7
|
|
8
|
|
3pc
|
8-5-1-1
|
$498,906
|
111
|
8
|
|
9
|
|
5th
|
6-3-3-0
|
$324,000
|
66
|
9
|
|
10
|
Agent Q
|
3pf
|
8-5-2-0
|
$379,124
|
43
|
10
|
Also:Bit Of A Legend N (20); Keystone Velocity, Nike Franco N (11); Devious Man,Long Tom (9); Drew The Dragon, Funknwaffles (8); International Moni, OhoDiamond (5); On A Sunny Day, Percy Blue Chip, Tuonoblu Rex (4); HomicideHunter, Resolve (2); Beckhams Z Tam, Firedrake, Holy Trout (1).
- Trogdon on Fear The Dragon: “It’s been quite a thrill with him” (Wednesday, July 26, 2017)
When a teenage Bruce Trogdon first began attending the Adios more than four decades ago, he never imagined he would someday own a horse in the race. On Saturday, he will. But even if it never happened, the Adios would always be special to him. That’s because 41 years ago, Trogdon got engaged to his wife Sabrina there. “All this, it’s a pretty neat situation,” said Trogdon, who will return Saturday to The Meadows with Sabrina for the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids and watch Fear The Dragon — the No. 1-ranked horse in harness racing’s weekly poll — compete in the $400,000 race for 3-year-old pacers. “We’re looking forward to it.”
- Takter under the radar with Adios hopeful Blood Line (Thursday, July 27, 2017)
As a Hall of Fame, high-profile trainer, it’s hard for Jimmy Takter to fly under the radar. Yet that’s exactly what he’s done with Blood Line, who’ll compete in Saturday’s $400,000 final of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at The Meadows. Blood Line goes from post eight, with Mark MacDonald at the helm.