Harrah's Hoosier Park: Bulldog Hanover dazzles again in Pacing Derby

Bulldog Hanover won in sub-1:47 fashion for the fifth time this year and lowered the track record at Harrah's Hoosier Park to 1:46 3/5 in winning Friday night's $200,000 Harrah's Hoosier Park Pacing Derby for free-for-allers.

With Dexter Dunn in the bike, Bulldog Hanover was fifth at the 25 3/5 opening quarter but followed a two-wide move by Catch The Fire (Andy McCarthy) in the backstretch and went by him to take the lead after the 53 2/5 half-mile marker.

The "Bulldog Hanover Show" was on from there, as history's fastest Standardbred opened up on the group heading to the 1:21 three-quarters and then tacked a 25 3/5 kicker on the end for good measure, winning by six lengths. Allywag Hanover (Todd McCarthy), who got shuffled back on the cones after leading early, got up for second, and Workin Ona Mystery (David Miller) finished third.

"I gave him a chirp," Dunn said when asked what he was thinking coming off the last turn. "His raw power is really amazing. He just dropped his bum and away he went. He's just a great horse obviously and can do it all."

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Trainer Jack Darling also co-owns Bulldog Hanover, a 4-year-old stallion by Shadow Play, with partner Brad Grant. Bulldog Hanover is 11-for-12 in the win column this year, has 25 career victories, and has now banked $1,793,422.

"I just can't say enough about the horse," Darling offered. "He's going to Dayton and then it's on to Lexington. Then he's got the Breeders Crown, and there's the TVG at the Meadowlands."