MILTON, Ont. — Owner Brad Grant isn't sure if Bulldog Hanover has another world-record race in him, but he expects his Ontario-bred horse will need a world-record effort to capture the US$600,000 Breeders Crown Open Pace on Saturday night.
The four-year-old claimed the $500,000 William R. Haughton Memorial in a world-record time of 1:45.4 on July 16 at the Meadowlands. Bulldog Hanover drew the No. 6 spot Tuesday night for the Open Pace at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
"It's definitely going to take a championship performance on his part to get it done just because of the quality of horses in there," Grant said following the Open Pace draw. "When they say, 'Go,' some of them are going to be gone."
Bulldog Hanover will be driven by Dexter Dunn and attempt to secure trainer/co-owner Jack Darling his first-ever Breeders Crown victory. Darling, of Cambridge, Ont., will be inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame next summer.
"I'm optimistically cautious because there are so many good horses in there and they're all racing hard," said Grant, a trucking magnate from Milton, Ont. "It (victory) would mean a lot for me.
"Personally, to own a horse like him is a joy. To have a partnership with Jack Darling has been great. It would be a nice way to top things off for Jack, not only being inducted into the Hall of Fame but winning his first Breeders Crown. It would just be special."
Bulldog Hanover's list of victories this season also includes the $650,000 Canadian Pacing Derby, which he won Sept. 3 at Mohawk Park. Bulldog Hanover tied the track and all-time Canadian record in securing the decision.
The Open Pace will be the marquee event of the $6.7 million Breeders Crown, which will be held this weekend at Woodbine Mohawk Park in Campbellville, Ont. The Breeders Crown is harness racing’s richest and most prestigious year-end divisional championship series.
Bulldog Hanover will come into Saturday's race off a rare defeat. He was upset by Allywag Hanover in the $153,000 Allerage Farms Open Pace at The Red Mile on Oct. 29. Allywag Hanover won the race in 1:46.
The loss snapped Bulldog Hanover's 11-race win streak. Allywag Hanover drew the No. 3 spot for the 11-horse Open Pace.
"When he (Bulldog Hanover) had to go back to the paddock, he had to go across the grandstand," Grant said. "They (spectators) were cheering as loudly for him as if he'd won the race, which means the horse is respected.
"There was no disgrace in being beaten by Allywag Hanover."
Last week, Bulldog Hanover qualified for the Open Pace in 1:51.2 at Mohawk Park. The horse obviously had energy to burn, doing a complete lap of the track after his mile.
"I was really happy with the qualifier, he's tight and ready for a big effort," Darling said. "He's as good as he can be.
"But this isn't a grudge match (with Allywag Hanover) at all. Brett (Allywag Hanover's trainer Brett Pelling) is a great trainer, Allywag is a great horse and there's a lot of great horses in there. I treat Allywag Hanover definitely as the horse to beat."
The Open Pace draw was one of three held Tuesday night at Country Heritage Park, the others being the US$600,000 Colt Pace and US$600,000 Open Trot.
Pebble Beach, who captured the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup in June at Mohawk Park, has the No. 5 spot for the three-year-old Colt Pace. Pebble Beach is 4-0 at Mohawk Park this season.
Defending champion Ecurie D DK drew the No. 5 hole in the Open Trot.
The other nine race draws had been held earlier.
The four two-year-old events (two-year-old colt pace, two-year-old colt trot, two-year-old filly pace and two-year-old filly trot) will be contested Friday night.
The remaining eight races will be held Saturday night.
Woodbine last hosted all 12 events in 2019.
Woodbine Entertainment has hosted more Breeders Crown events (152) than any other venue at their tracks of Woodbine, Mohawk and Greenwood.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2022.
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
