Harrah's Hoosier Park: Bulldog Hanover dominant again in Dan Patch

Bulldog Hanover, the fastest Standardbred of all-time, returned to the racetrack for his first start since setting the 1:45 4/5 mark and was again devastating in handling a field of 10 in Friday's $315,000 Dan Patch Stakes at Harrah's Hoosier Park. With Dexter Dunn in tow, Bulldog Hanover scored as the 1-5 betting choice in a 1:48 1/5 mile.

With five entries in the field, trainer Ron Burke's pair of Workin On A Mystery (David Miller) and This Is The Plan (Yannick Gingras) sped away the fastest when the gate opened at the start, with Workin Ona Mystery leading the way into the turn and This Is The Plan settling in the pocket. Dunn advanced with caution in the early going, putting Bulldog Hanover in the three-hole through the 26 second opening quarter.

With little activity behind him, Dunn moved Bulldog Hanover on a methodical mission to the front shortly before the 54 3/5 half was posted. Once in front, Bulldog Hanover kept just a moderate pace waiting for company. Rockyroad Hanover, the second choice in the field, was flushed out before the half, but his driver Todd McCarthy was in no hurry to be aggressive and just grinded up slowly off the leader, with Tellmeaboutit and Backstreet Shadow following him in the outer tier.

Once the three-quarters was passed in 1:22 3/5, it was clear the battle would only be for the place spot, as Bulldog Hanover just continued to display his awesome speed and power with a 25 3/5 final quarter to finish off the mile and win for the eighth time in nine starts as a 4-year-old. Rockyroad Hanover kept his composure and closed in for second, with Workin Ona Mystery and This Is The Plan finishing third and fourth, respectively.

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"He felt great," said Dunn in the winner's circle. "I was very confident."

Trainer Jack Darling, who also co-owns Bulldog Hanover with Bradley Grant, was delighted with the performance.

"We'll come back in two weeks at Mohawk for the Canadian Pacing Derby," Darling said.