Hightstown, NJ — Four-year-old male harness racing pacer Hanoverian Bulldog (Shadow game) finished the Grand Circuit season as the No. 1 horse in the final 2022 Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll released on Tuesday. The Hanover Bulldogs took over the top spot in Week 6 and stayed there the rest of the way.
He was one of four horses to take 1st place 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 a week at the top.
Bulldog Hanover capped off his career with a record stakes victory in the TVG Series Open Pace Championship last weekend at The Meadowlands. Among those who also won the TVG finals were Bella Bellini, the 4-year-old trotter (Bar Hopping), who finished the year 2nd in the poll, and the 6-year-old Ecurie D DK.Infinitive), which rejoined the Top 10 this week at #10.
Beach Glass Three-Year-Old Male Pacer (Somewhere on the beach) made the biggest move in the Top 10, jumping from 10th to sixth after his Progress Pace victory last week.
Special mode (Wahner), which was inactive, dropped from the Top 10.
The Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll does not determine the Horse of the Year. Members of the US Harness Writers Association vote for all Dan Patch Award division winners plus Trotter of the Year, Pacer of the Year and Horse of the Year.
Ranking based on votes from 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 – 29/11/2022 – FINAL
| Rank | Name (First Votes) | A/S/G | Record | income | puncture | Pvs |
| 1 | Hanoverian Bulldog (34) | 4 hp | 16-14-1-0 | $1,649,906 | 349 | 1 |
| 2 | Bella Bellini (1) | 4 Mt | 19-9-4-5 | $935,630 | 299 | 2 |
| 3 | The Test of Faith | 4 square meters | 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 bottle | 3 cp | 13-9-3-0 | $1,079,649 | 134 | 10 |
| 7 | pebble beach | 3 cp | 18-10-6-1 | $1,357,571 | 128 | 5 |
| 8 | Through the mass | 3gp | 16-13-2-1 | $1,165,492 | 83 | 7 |
| 9 | Sylvia Hanover | 2 fp | 9-8-1-0 | $675,864 | 78 | 8 |
| 10 | Stable D DK | 6 ht | 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; Well 6; He is 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.
of Ken Weingartnerfor USTA