Tag: Racing

After flirting with establishing a new record for the fastest mile in harness racing history the past two weeks, Bulldog Hanover got it done Saturday (July 16), winning the $500,000 William R. Haughton Memorial, for older male pacers, in 1:45.4 at the Meadowlands.

The previous world record of 1:46 was shared by Bulldog Hanover, Always B Miki and Lather Up. Bulldog Hanover had equaled that record on July 2 at The Meadowlands in winning a division of the Roll With Joe Stakes and paced 1:46.1 last week in capturing the Graduate Series Open Pace championship, also at The Big M. He also won in 1:47 on June 25.

Bulldog Hanover won the Haughton by two lengths over Rockyroad Hanover as the 1-5 favorite. Tattoo Artist finished third and Abuckabett Hanover was fourth.

“That's the amazing part of it. A lot of good horses can go a quick mile; to go four times in a row, four weeks in a row, is unbelievable,” said Noel Daley, who is training the 4-year-old stallion in the U.S. for Canadian-based owners Jack Darling Stables and Brad Grant.

“He's a special horse. We've only had him to look after for the month, which has been great. He came down in good order. Obviously, he's liked it down here. Just to be able to back up like he does is unbelievable.”

A light rain began to fall just prior to the Haughton. Tattoo Artist led the field to the first quarter in :26 but already was under pressure from Rockyroad Hanover, who started from post nine. Rockyroad Hanover and driver Todd McCarthy took the lead on the backstretch, but held it only briefly as Bulldog Hanover and driver Dexter Dunn came calling.

Bulldog Hanover grabbed the top spot in a :53.1 half and remained in front from there. He hit three-quarters in 1:20.3 after fending off a first-over challenge by Whichwaytothebeach, and then held off Rockyroad Hanover in the stretch to establish the record with a :25.1 last quarter.

Rockyroad Hanover was timed in 1:46.1 just one week after being timed 1:46.2 in a second-place finish to Bulldog Hanover in the Graduate and two weeks after winning the other division of the Roll With Joe in 1:46.2.

“I knew there was going to be some speed inside and outside of us,” Dunn said. “Todd came across in front of me in the first turn with Rockyroad, and I had a good helmet (to follow) all the way around the first turn and a hot first quarter. Once Todd crossed over, the big fella got clear air and was marching on after that.

“I wasn't really fighting the timer; I was fighting off Rockyroad in the stretch there,” Dunn added. “Then the time popped up. He's just an amazing animal. It's just a pleasure to sit behind him. I just sit on my bum and enjoy the ride with him.”

Bulldog Hanover is a son of Shadow Play out of BJ's Squall. He was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms.

For the year, Bulldog Hanover has won seven of eight races and earned $519,437. For his career, he has 21 victories in 29 starts and $1.55 million in purses.

Bulldog Hanover paid $2.40 to win.

The post ‘Special Horse’ Bulldog Hanover Establishes New World Record At Meadowlands appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, and Michael House's Nest is preparing for a rematch against Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Secret Oath next week in the $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga.

Pletcher said the Kentucky Oaks and Belmont Stakes (G1) runner-up has settled into her first Saratoga summer exceptionally well.

“She's really come out of the Belmont in good order and I'm very happy with the way she's coming into this,” said Pletcher, “I thought she got over the track really well and seemed to take to it. It's not been an issue for her – she's kind of one that doesn't need a certain type of surface and I'm not surprised that she's settled in well here.”

The 3-year-old daughter of Curlin, who has never finished off-the-board in seven career starts, including her 8 ¼-length triumph in the Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland prior to the Kentucky Oaks, breezed five-eighths in 1:01.44 on Saratoga's main track Saturday in company with 2021 champion 2-year-old male Corniche as a final prep for the CCA Oaks.

Owned by Speedway Stables, Corniche is getting set for a return to the track under the care of a new trainer. The $1,500,000 purchase out of the 2021 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training is expected to run at Saratoga and had his first breeze over Saratoga's main track when he went in company with Nest.

Pletcher said Corniche is possible for a start in the $200,000 Amsterdam (G2) sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on July 31.

“We're considering the Amsterdam, which interestingly enough was the first race for Quality Road when we had him,” said Pletcher of his alumnus and sire of Corniche. “You can see a lot of Quality Road in him and he's put in some good work. If things go well next week, that's probably where we will end up.”

Corniche, who went 3-for-3 as a juvenile for trainer Bob Baffert, capped his perfect campaign with a score in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar, finishing 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Pappacap, who he will likely face again in the Amsterdam.

The post Nest Prepares For Rematch With Secret Oath In CCA Oaks, Champion Corniche Possible For Amsterdam appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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As he watched the final furlong unfold in the $75,000 Ellis Park Turf Stakes Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance on Sunday, trainer Ian Wilkes had the best kind of problem on his hands.

His allegiance was split between both the determined distaffers on the front end, but he knew no matter who prevailed, he was going to have some celebrating to do.

Wilkes trainee Market Rumor ran down her stablemate Undisturbed in late stretch to capture the 1 1/16-miles race by a half length and earn the first stakes victory of her 20-race career.

“It's always great when you come into the straight and your two are 1-2 in a stakes, you know,” Wilkes said. “It doesn't matter where it's at, you're always happy to see that.”

The Ellis Park Turf was the lone race to remain on the grass Sunday as weather continues to wreak havoc with the track's turf lineup. Fortunately for Market Rumor, the bay mare is accustomed to handling whatever surface she is asked to run over as she has earned top three placings at seven of the eight tracks she has visited.

What the daughter of Afleet Alex hadn't yet earned was a stakes victory, something she took care of in professional fashion on Sunday.

With Undisturbed on the lead through fractions of :24.82 and :48.88, Market Rumor rated patiently in sixth over the yielding ground, waiting for regular rider Chris Landeros to give her the cue to go on.

“I kind of just break and let her dictate where she needs to be,” Landeros said. “She's versatile. You don't want to get in a hurry with her but you also don't want to take anything away from her. She's as cool as they come. She's just a cool filly. She's grown up a lot.”

Market Rumor may not have owned a stakes win prior to Sunday but she had the back class of defeating stakes-quality horses. When she won an allowance race at Keeneland on April 23, she toppled Gam's Mission, who returned to take the Old Forester Mint Julep Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs on June 5.

That top-quality turn of foot came through as the seven-horse field reached the final turn in the Ellis Park Turf. As Undisturbed worked to fend off a challenge from Joy of Painting to her outside, Market Rumor advanced five-wide and kept her momentum down the lane despite being well out in the middle of the track.

“It's very satisfying. She needed a stakes win,” Wilkes said of Market Rumor. “She's been second in a stakes so this is huge for her and the owners as she's a homebred. I'm very proud of the other filly too (Undisturbed), she ran game. I was happy to see her bounce back to form because she's been in and out of form.  I'm just so proud of them both.”

Final time was 1:43.42 on turf rated as yielding.

Sent off as the 6-5 favorite, Market Rumor paid $4.52 to her backers while improving her overall record to five wins from 20 starts and $397,563 in earnings.

Undisturbed, whose two career wins both came at Ellis Park, was 3 1/2 lengths clear of third-place finisher Demodog.

Owned by breeder Randall Bloch, et al. and Six Column Stables LLC, et al., Market Rumor was bred in Kentucky out of the Street Sense mare Taylor Street.

“I'd love to try and separate them going forward because I'd love to get a stakes win on Undisturbed,” Wilkes said when asked what might be next for his duo. “She deserves to win a stakes somewhere, so I'm going to separate them some way.”

The post Market Rumor Overhauls Stablemate To Post First Stakes Win In Ellis Park Turf appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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