Harrah's Hoosier: Hot Mess Express, Bulldog Hanover among Friday's stakes winners

John De Long guided heavy favorites Hot Mess Express and Bulldog Hanover to victories in divisions of The Circle City stakes on Friday night at Harrah's Hoosier Park.

Racing in the lone $50,000 split for 3-year-old pacing fillies, Hot Mess Express took command after the 27 1/5 opening quarter and went on to reach the half in 57 and the three-quarters in 1:25. The sprint was on in the final quarter off those fractions, and Hot Mess Express kicked home in 26 1/5 to defeat High Minded (Kyle Husted) by a length and a quarter. Shelly Rockwell (Braxten Boyd) was third.

Hot Mess Express, a daughter of Panther Hanover trained by Tony Alagna and owned by Sam Bowie, is now ten-for-ten in the Hoosier State in 2021. She is a 17-time winner overall and has pocketed $760,699.

Bulldog Hanover, racing outside Ontario for the first time, landed on the lead at the 54 1/5 half in the second $34,000 section for 3-year-old male pacers. Bulldog Hanover kept a first-over attack from Virgo (Trace Tetrick) at bay to the 1:21 4/5 three-quarters, then zipped a 26 1/5 final panel to win by 3 1/4 lengths in 1:48. Virgo was second, and Rogers Image (Ricky Macomber Jr.) collected third.

The victorious Shadow Play colt is co-owned by trainer Jack Darling in partnership with Brad Grant. Bulldog Hanover now has 11 wins from 18 lifetime attempts, and he pushed his bankroll to $601,591.

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Indiana Sires Stakes champion Swingforthefences, by Swan For All, won his flight for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters in 1:53 3/5 for driver Peter Wrenn, trainer Melanie Wrenn, and owners David McDuffee and L&L Devisser LLC., and Brookview Bolt, also by Swan For All, won the other tilt for the sophomore male trotters in 1:54 for driver Trace Tetrick, trainer Ron Burke, and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Knox Services Inc., J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.

Empressive Hill (Rick Plano), the Kentucky Championship Series champion, won the lone grouping for 3-year-old trotting fillies in 1:52 3/5. Plano also trains Empressive Hill, a daughter of Muscle Hill, for owners Jordan Derue, Bruce Soulsby, Alan Weisenberg, and Gilbert Short.

Big Gulp, driven by trainer Jay Cross, took the other flight for 3-year-old male pacers in 1:49 4/5. Ben Yoder bred and co-owns the winning gelding by Always A Virgin with Michael, Anna, and McKenzie Yoder.