Mel Mara is lone newcomer in Poll

Freehold, NJ — Harnerss racing 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.

Hambletonian Society/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	Bit Of A Legend N	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	Always B Miki	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); Rockeyed Optimist (21); Betting Line, Shamballa (17); Darlinonthebeach (16); Blue Moon Stride (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); Adrian Hanover, Boston Red Rocks, I Said Diamonds (3); Hannelore Hanover, Rose Run Parker (2); L A Delight, Seventimesavirgin, Southwind Hope (1).

by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications