The Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown Poll is taken each year to select the top pacers and trotters of the year in the United States.
Horse Talk – pacers and trotters: Pacers move both legs on the same side forward in unison. Trotters move right front and left rear legs forward almost simultaneously, then follow suit with left front and right rear.
1. Is the horse in the picture above a pacer or a trotter?
The winner of the poll is determined by points. Points are awarded as follows: 10 points for a first-place vote, 9 points for second, 8 points for third, 7 points for fourth, 6 points for fifth, 5 points for sixth, 4 points for seventh, 3 points for eighth, 2 points for ninth and 1 point for tenth. There is a total of 35 voters comprised of writers, publicists, racing executives and others associated with the sport.
The table above shows the poll standings as of mid-June. A table like this is a great way of providing lots of information. Let’s take a look!
2. What was the name of the horse in first place in the standings?
3. How many points did this horse have?
4. How many more points did the first place horse have than the second place horse?
5. The fourth column is titled ‘Record’. What does each number in this column represent?
6. The third column titled, ‘A/G/S’ may be a bit of a challenge. What does A/G/S stand for? (Take your time and think about this one. Use your knowledge of horses and the information provided in each horse’s box in the column to help you figure it out.)
The horses kept racing throughout the rest of the season until in late November, Bee A Magician completed a perfect season when she won the Moni Maker Stakes and finished the year as the No. 1-ranked horse in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown Poll!
Now, let’s take a look at the final standings.
7. How many weeks passed between when the two polls were taken?
8a. How many first place votes did Bee A Magician receive?
b. How many points would they be worth?
9. How much more money did Bee A Magician earn between when the June 18th poll was taken and the end of the racing season? Give your answer in word form.
For her career, Bee A Magician has won 26 of 29 races and earned $2.18 million. Her earnings are the record for any filly, trotter or pacer, at ages 2 and 3 combined!
10. Calculate Bee A Magician’s winning percentage. Give your answer to the nearest tenths.
Would you like to watch Bee A Magician winning the Moni Maker Stakes?
Top Pacers & Trotters of the Year – Answers
1. Is the horse in the picture above a pacer or a trotter?
Answer: trotter
2. What was the name of the horse in first place in the standings?
Answer: Captaintreacherous
3. How many points did this horse have?
Answer: 340 points
4. How many more points did the first place horse have than the second place horse?
Answer: 340 – 270 = 70. The first place horse is ahead by 70 points.
5. The fourth column is titled ‘Record’. What does each number in this column represent?
Answer: The first number is the total number of races, the second number is the number of wins, the third number is the number of second place finishes and the fourth number is the number of third place finishes.
6. The third column titled, ‘A/G/S’ may be a bit of a challenge. What does A/G/S stand for?
Answer: Age/Gait/Sex
Horse Talk – gait: means the way a horse moves their legs. With each gait, such as a canter, trot, or walk, the horse moves by lifting the feet in a different order or rhythm.
7. How many weeks passed between when the two polls were taken?
Answer: 28 – 4 = 24. Twenty four weeks passed between when the two polls were taken.
8a. How many first place votes did Bee A Magician receive?
Answer: Bee A Magician received 32 first place votes.
b. How many points would they be worth?
Answer: 32 x 10 = 320. They would be worth 320 points.
9. How much more money did Bee A Magician earn between when the June 18th poll was taken and the end of the racing season? Give your answer in word form.
Answer: 1,547,304 – 323,081 = 1,224,223. Bee A Magician earned one million two hundred and twenty-four thousand two hundred and twenty-three dollars.
10. Calculate Bee A Magician’s winning percentage. Give your answer to the nearest tenths.
Answer: 26/29 x 100% = 2600 ÷ 29 = 89.655. Bee A Magician’s winning percentage is 89.7%.
Photos:
Courtesy of the U.S. Trotting Association
It is terrific to see Harness horses mentioned. It has been a privilege of mine to attend the Little Brown Jug and Jugette in Delaware, Ohio for the last 30 years. Friends of mine hunt riding former trotters with the Miami Valley Hunt Club out of Urbana, Ohio.
It was a delight last fall to hold a conversation with the owner of I Luv the Nitelife. He was fascinating and I did a take a couple of pictures of him as well as the filly.
This past year my vet fees have reflected some interesting ailments. My older quarter mare, my youngest daughter’s former 4-H horse, had an entrapped epiglottis. This ailment was mentioned in a recent article posted in The Horse.com. It seems to be something that is often associated with racebred horses.
Keep up the good work.
How wonderful to have attended the Little Brown Jug and Jugette for 30 years! I’m curious, do any of those years stand out?
Thanks also for sharing the health information. I learned something new!