Bulldog Hanover puts on a show on richest night of horse racing in Ohio history
Oct. 2—On the richest night in Ohio horse racing history, Bulldog Hanover — everyone's favorite for Harness Horse of the Year — put on a show just before midnight Saturday at Dayton Raceway.
The four-year-old stallion — the fastest harness horse in history — won his 11th straight race this year when driver Dexter Dunn took him three wide at the top of the final turn and they pulled away down the stretch to win the $250,000 Dayton Pacing Derby by 5 lengths over Allyway Hanover in 1:50.1.
It was the fastest mile time of the night on a card that included 12 championship races worth a total of $3.4 million.
After setting the world record with a 1:45.4 mile at the Meadowlands a month ago. Bulldog Hanover started from the eighth slot Saturday and was parked outside the entire race until he hit overdrive coming out of the final turn. He paid $2.10
The son of Shadow Play — who's trained by Jack Darling — has been the top rated horse in North America for 12 straight weeks in the Hambletonian /Breeders Cup poll.
All four Dayton Derbiespaid $250,000.
Test of Faith, the 2021 Horse of the Year, won the Dayton Distaff Derby. Driven by David Miller, she finished in 1:51.2.
When Dovescry, a six-year-old mare driven by Miller, won the Dayton Oaks in 1:54.
Back Of The Neck, with Tom Tetrick in the sulky, won the Dayton Trotting Derby with a 1:53.1 trip.
The card also included eight Ohio Sires Stakes championships, each paying $300,000.
Rumble Strips driven by Kayne Kauffman, won the 2 Year Old Trotting Colts title with a 1:56.1 finish, a track record for 2 year old colts.
Rockmelikeyameanit won the 2 Year Old Pacing Colts championship for driver Brett Miller in 1:53.2.
Race favorite Rose Run Yolanda posted her sixth straight victory, winning the 2 Year Old Filly Trot with driver Trevor Smith in 1:57.1
McSeaside went three wide in the final turn to win the 2 Year Old Filly Pacing title with driver Chris Page in 1:53.4
Longshot, a gelding driven by Chris Lems, won the 3 Year Old Colt Trot in 1:54.2
Gabbys C Note won her seventh straight race of the season, going wire to wire in 1:55.3 with driver Aaron Merriman in the 3 Year Old Filly Trot.
Big favorite, Sea Silk, driven by Page, won the 3 Year Old Filly Pace in 1:52.4.
Bythemissal won the last of the $300,000 races, taking the 3 Year Old Pacing Colts crown in 1:52.1. Driven by Page and trained by Ron Burke, the colt has won 11 of its 13 starts this season, including the fabled Little Brown Jug nine days earlier at the Delaware County Fair.
