Bulldog Hanover closes season #1

Hightstown, NJ — Four-year-old harness racing male pacer Bulldog Hanover (Shadow Play) ended the Grand Circuit season as the No. 1-ranked horse in the final 2022 Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll released Tuesday. Bulldog Hanover took over the top spot in Week 6 and remained there the rest of the way.

He was one of four horses to occupy the No. 1 position this year. The others were Jimmy Freight, Funatthebeach N, and Joviality S. Jimmy Freight spent three weeks at No. 1 while Funatthebeach N and Joviality S each had one week at the top.

Bulldog Hanover closed his career with a stakes-record win in the TVG Series Open Pace championship this past weekend at The Meadowlands. Among those also winning TVG finals were 4-year-old female trotter Bella Bellini (Bar Hopping), who ended the year at No. 2 in the poll, and 6-year-old male trotter Ecurie D DK (Infinitif), who rejoined the Top 10 this week at No. 10.

Three-year-old male pacer Beach Glass (Somebeachsomewhere) made the biggest move in the Top 10, going from 10th to sixth following his win in last week’s Progress Pace.

Special Way (Walner), who was idle, dropped from the Top 10.

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 26 – 11/29/2022 – FINAL

Rank	Name (First Votes)	A/S/G	Record	Earnings	Points	Pvs
1	Bulldog Hanover (34)	4hp	16-14-1-0	$1,649,906	349	1
2	Bella Bellini (1)	4mt	19-9-4-5	$935,630	299	2
3	Test Of Faith	4mp	19-11-6-1	$819,505	214	3
4	Jiggy Jog S	3ft	13-8-3-0	$922,265	191	4
5	Joviality S	3ft	16-11-2-2	$1,083,209	152	6
6	Beach Glass	3cp	13-9-3-0	$1,079,649	134	10
7	Pebble Beach	3cp	18-10-6-1	$1,357,571	128	5
8	Bythemissal	3gp	16-13-2-1	$1,165,492	83	7
9	Sylvia Hanover	2fp	9-8-1-0	$675,864	78	8
10	Ecurie D DK	6ht	8-3-2-1	$731,601	77	—

ALSO: Special Way 50; Bond, Grace Hill 32; Allywag Hanover, Volume Eight 20; Niki Hill 15; Fashion Schooner 8; Atlanta 7; Oh Well 6; It’s Academic, Ponda Warrior 5; Cool Papa Bell, King Of The North, Stockade Seelster 4; Confederate, Twin B Joe Fresh, Wheels On Fire 2; Ammo, Tattoo Artist 1.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA