It’s all working for Jack Darling and Bulldog Hanover

Over the past months there is not too much we don’t know about Bulldog Hanover (Shadow Play). Aside from being the fastest harness racing Standardbred of all time, he is putting his 11-race winning streak on the line this Sunday (Oct. 9) in the $153,000 Allerage Farms Open Pace at Lexington, Kentucky’s Red Mile.

The race is generously sponsored by Jeff & Paula Gural.

The man behind the Bulldog is co-owner Jack Darling and talk about someone who is non-stop working. He is selling and buying horses in Lexington, he’s at the stable checking on Bulldog Hanover, he’s at the sale and he just found out yesterday that he has been elected to the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.

“Getting the news yesterday about the Hall of Fame was so special,” Darling admitted. “I even forgot I was supposed to get back to you about this story. What an amazing season this has been.

“Bulldog is doing fine,” Darling said. “He travels very well, and we do carry his regular feed with him. He’s a great eater wherever he goes.”

It’s not that often then you read a program page for a race, that a horse shows only 1^st place finishes on every start. Well, that’s the case with Bulldog Hanover. He has started 13 times this year with 12 wins and one fourth place finish. Even last year at age three, Bulldog Hanover was not too shabby at all, winning 10 of 15 starts and $580,852 for Darling and co-owner Brad Grant.

But this year has been exceptional for the Bulldog. He goes into the Allerage Farms Stake on an 11-race winning streak, nearly every one of his wins are in 1:50 or much faster and of course, the 1:45.4 all-time fastest mile ever at The Meadowlands.

Now, what can we expect from the Bulldog on Sunday?

“The weather looks good for Sunday,” Darling said. “So, we will have a chance to see what he can do. He always leads you to believe there is a lot more in the tank. So, it will be exciting.

“I never take anything for granted,” Darling added. So, winning the race is always my biggest concern.”

Bulldog Hanover takes on six rivals in the 11^th race Sunday at the Red Mile. He drew post position #5, but it has not mattered what post his has drawn this season.

Allywag Hanover drew post 1, Abuckabett Hanover drew post 4. They have been chasing Bulldog for most of the season, racing for second place money as they say.

Natameri, post 7, comes into the race on a four-race winning streak and has won six of his last seven starts in New York State including a lifetime mark of 1:49.4 in his last outing at Vernon Downs. Then again, look back down on the program page to his 8^th start. Sure enough, he finished eighth in a leg of the Graduate Pacing Series. And who won that race, you guessed it, Bulldog Hanover.

Last week at Hollywood Dayton Raceway they had a tremendous crowd on track for the Ohio Sire Stakes Championships plus the four Dayton Derbies for older horses. Total purses on the night were $3.4 million.

Bulldog’s race, the $250,000 Dayton Derby was scheduled as the 12^th and final race of the program and none of the fans went home early. They all wanted to see Bulldog Hanover.

It can be assumed that this Sunday there could be a big crowd to watch Bulldog Hanover race. In addition, the race card features the final jewel of the Trotting Triple Crown, a wide-open 12-horse field for the $430,000 Kentucky Futurity for three-year-olds.

Also on the card is the $276,000 Kentucky Filly Futurity and another $800,000 in addition stakes races. What a program.

And just think, we never even got to talk about the 80 mares at $5,000 a pop that Bulldog Hanover bred before the start of his 2022 race season. What a bargain that turned out to be!

11^th race $15300 The Allerage Farms Open Pace

1. Allywag Hanover (Captaintreacherous) Todd McCarthy/Brett Pelling 4-1
2. My Pal Joe (Roll With Joe) Brian Sears/Alek Chartrand 9-1
3. Backstreet Shadow (Shadow Play) Yannick Gingras/Ron Burke 8-1
4. Abuckabett Hanover (Betting Line) Tim Tetrick/Tony Alagna 7/2
5. Bulldog Hanover (Shadow Play) Dexter Dunn/John Darling 6/5
6. Workin Ona Mystery (Captaintreacherous) David Miller/Ron Burke 7-1
7. Natameri (American Ideal) Mark MacDonald/Jessica Okusko 10-1

For complete race entries, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink