Is the Bulldog the greatest ever?

About 40 years ago, I wrote a harness racing story about why there would never be a 1:50 mile accomplished in our sport!

The thinking, at that time, was that, somewhere during a mile, the standardbred needed a breather.

I put on paper several examples of my theory with each one showing a :29 breather of those who got reasonably close.

Not only was I proven wrong, but I am also humbled—and delighted—to say that I, now, am proven wrong on, pretty much, a weekly basis.

Just as the “old” 2:10 two-year-old list and 2:05 three-year-old list is obsolete today; we have witnessed some pacers burrowing through a mile in 1:48…and not earning a single dime.

Realizing that track conditions, sulkies and the very way races are conducted—no more glancing at a stopwatch trying to get to the 3/8ths pole in :47—we “old-timers,” too, have to adjust to the “times!”

That brings us to recent yesterdays, today and the tomorrows that follow.

Back a couple of years ago, June 27, 2020, to be exact, two-year-old qualifiers were held at Woodbine with one particular youngster, a Shadow Play colt by the name of Bulldog Hanover, went behind the gate for trainer Jack Darling.

Lollygagging off the wings, Bulldog looked like anything BUT a bulldog as he was WAY back—the chart read 18 3/4 lengths back—pacing his opening panel in a very leisurely :34.4.

The colt never passed a single horse in that qualifier but did show some talent by pacing his final three-quarters in an unnoticed 1:24.1, covering his mile in 1:58.3.

Within three weeks, he was winning in Ontario Sire Stakes competition in 1:52 and a piece and lowered that mark from there on three different occasions, capping his juvenile season with a 1:50.2 mark while earning $188,242.

As the old saying goes, “You ain’t seen nuthin’ yet!”

As a sophomore, Bulldog Hanover began his season up north of the border before venturing onto U.S. territory, capping his season with a grand slam performance at Hoosier Park, winning $184,500 during a span of 27 days sending his seasonal total to $580,852 to go along with a 1:48 mark.

But in a 2021 season featuring the likes of Perfect Sting, Allywag Hanover, Charlie May and This Is The Plan, to name a few on the colt or gelding side of the ledger, Bulldog Hanover was relegated to 18th place among all three-year-old pacers in terms of earnings.

But, again, as another old saying goes, “The best is yet to come!”

In a season where there has been a speed explosion like no other, Bulldog Hanover stands alone at the top of the class.

There have been 22 horses that have won in 1:48 or faster with Bulldog Hanover the fastest of all in the 216 year history of the sport with his Herculean 1:45.4 mile in his last purse start at The Meadowlands.

What is equally impressive is that, during Bulldog’s current six race winning skein of the 30 charted “points of call,” 25 have been labeled “1” while vying for the lead virtually from the get-go.

The “Bulldog” will be traveling back to Indiana for the $300,000 Dan Patch Pace at Hoosier Park on Friday, Aug. 12.

It’s going to be, as they say, “a hum-dinger” with the field bursting with talent with every entrant capable of a mile in 1:47 and change—which might not be worthy enough to earn one thin dime in this grand, showcase event.

Of course, as we saw in The Hambletonian, anything can happen in a race and Bulldog Hanover has taken a bit of time off and only had a qualifier at Woodbine as a tune-up for the Dan Patch.

And driver Dexter Dunn is well aware of that but confident going into the #315,000 Dan Patch Stake at Hoosier Park on Friday night.

“He has a set of lungs like no other and can sustain his speed the entire mile,” Dunn said.

Bulldog Hanover began a “rein of terror” over his opposition when he came south of the Canadian border to win a leg of the Graduate on June 25 at The Meadowlands in 1:47, highlighted by a final quarter in :24.4—a 1:39.1 rate for a mile.

One week later, he won the Roll With Joe at The Big M in 1:46 with a last panel in :25.3.

The Graduate Final was held on July 9 with Bulldog Hanover stopping the clock in 1:46.1 with a pair of :26 quarters—yes, final half in :52—putting an exclamation mark on that one.

Then, it was on to the $500,000 Haughton Memorial at The Meadowlands when Bulldog Hanover did the unimaginable—the unthinkable—the greatest performance in history—1:45.4—last quarter :25.1, the fastest of the race.

Bulldog Hanover has been listed as the 3 to 5 morning line favorite beginning from post three while Rockyroad Hanover, the author of a 1:46.2 record in his own right, leaves right alongside in post four and is 9 to 2 in the morning line.

To give one a sense of the depth of the field, Backstreet Shadow, with his third fastest winning mile in the group—1:47.2—is listed at 15 to 1.

The rest of the stellar field includes WorkinOna Mystery, Little Rocket Man, Tellmeaboutit, Fortify, Lou’s Pearlman and This Is The Plan.

Just as all eyes were on Dan Patch when he raced a bit over a century ago, all eyes will be focused on Hoosier Park, honoring the great Dan Patch with, quite possibly thus far, the greatest race of this century.

by John Berry, for Harnesslink