Bulldog Hanover rolls to track record victory in Harrah’s Hoosier Park Pacing Derby
September 23, 2022, by Jacob Rheinheimer, for Harrah's Hoosier Park
Anderson, IN — Bulldog Hanover, the fastest Standardbred in history, became the fastest at Harrah’s Hoosier Park as well on Friday (Sept. 23), winning the Harrah’s Hoosier Park Pacing Derby in dominant fashion and shaving nearly a second off the local all-age track record with a 1:46.3 effort.
With the victory, Bulldog Hanover recorded his tenth straight victory and stamped his name in the Harrah’s Hoosier Park record books.
Leaving from post two in the talented field of 10, driver Dexter Dunn elected to take back into fifth position while Allywag Hanover and Todd McCarthy led the hot opening quarter of :25.3. Allywag Hanover relinquished the lead to a parked and pressing Desperate Man (driven by Trevor Henry) just before Catch The Fire launched his bid for the lead with a snarling Bulldog Hanover right on his back. Catch The Fire (Andy McCarthy) crossed over to the lead at the half in :53.2 with The Bulldog set to be unleashed first-over heading into the final turn.
Bulldog Hanover blitzed to the lead entering the far turn and began to flex his muscle on the field, storming to three-quarters in 1:21. In the stretch, the Harrah’s Hoosier Park crowd got what they came to see, as Bulldog Hanover thundered home with a :25.3 final quarter, pacing away from an elite field of competitors by six lengths to score in 1:46.3, obliterating the overall track record of 1:47.2, first set by Sweet Lou in 2014 and equaled by four others. Allywag Hanover navigated traffic to rally up the inside for second; Workin Ona Mystery (David Miller) rounded out the trifecta.
“I knew there would be some leavers, so with the post. I thought we could sit back and let things play out early,” Dunn said. “We got a good tow in the opening half, then coming around the last turn I gave him a chirp and away he went.”
“He just amazes me every time he steps on the racetrack,” trainer and co-owner Jack Darling said. “I didn’t really expect him to go this fast tonight; he just seems like the harder he gets used, the better he is.”
It was the 11th victory in 12 seasonal starts, and the 10th consecutive win for the son of Shadow Play. Trained and co-owned by Jack Darling along with Brad Grant, the top-rated horse in the sport surpassed the million-dollar mark in 2022, pushing his bankroll to $1,024,331. For his career, Bulldog Hanover has won 25 times in 33 starts with career earnings of $1,793,425.
Racing returns to Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Saturday night (Sept. 24) with a 14-race card. Post time is 6:30 p.m.
