The Friday (Oct. 21) session of qualifiers at Woodbine Mohawk Park had more star power than usual as a number of accomplished Standardbreds — including the sport's fastest horse, Bulldog Hanover — made final preparation miles for the 2022 Breeders Crown championship finals.
Forbidden Trade looked like he was out for a training trip in preparation for next weekend's Breeders Crown Open Trot. The 2019 Canadian Horse of the Year tightened for next week's test with an unstressed wire-to-wire 1:54.4 effort in the morning's fourth qualifier.
Bob McClure was at the controls for Forbidden Trade, who will face 10 other rivals in the $600,000 Open Trot on Saturday (Oct. 29) at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The six-year-old son of Kadabra - Pure Ivory sports a summary of 4-3-3 in 15 starts this season for Determination and trainer Luc Blais.
Early season sensation Treacherous Dragon and 2021 Breeders Crown champion Niki Hill reacquainted themselves in the morning's fifth qualifier. Dexter Dunn pointed Niki Hill for the front from post five and cleared Treacherous Dragon (Scott Zeron) at the :29.3 first panel. Niki Hill then punched out midfractions of :58.1 and 1:25.2 with Treacherous Dragon pinned on her helmet turning for home. Zeron angled his charge into the two-path down the lane and Treacherous Dragon responded to topple an in-hand Niki Hill by a long neck in 1:52.1.
Making her first appearance since a straight heat victory in the 2022 Jugette one month ago, Treacherous Dragon (Captaintreacherous - My Little Dragon) is trained by Nancy Takter for owner Hot Lead Farm LLC of Allentown, N.J. Treacherous Dragon and Niki Hill will be two of the likely favourites in the 11-horse $600,000 Breeders Crown Final for three-year-old pacing fillies next Saturday.
The final qualifier of session featured Bulldog Hanover in his first appearance since his second-place finish to Allywag Hanover in the 2022 Allerage Open Pace at The Red Mile on Oct. 9. Under a snug hold to driver Dexter Dunn, Bulldog Hanover paced his opening quarter in :28.4 and then started to accelerate from that point on. After a :56.4 (:28) half and 1:24.3 (:27.4) third station, Bulldog Hanover paced home without asking in :26.4 to trip the timer in 1:51.2.
"He was awesome; I've never seen him look better," trainer and co-owner Jack Darling told Trot Insider. "He was flying at the wire and Dex couldn't get him pulled up...he went another full mile plus a half before he finally got him pulled up. He is an amazing horse."
Owned by Darling along with Brad Grant of Milton, Ont., Bulldog Hanover (Shadow Play - BJs Squall) will head into the $600,000 Breeders Crown Open Pace next Saturday (Oct. 29) as the sure favourite in what is slated to be his final start on Canadian soil. He sports a summary of 12-1-0 from 14 seasonal starts with the gold standard 1:45.4 speed badge and $2.2 million in lifetime earnings.
Post positions for the Breeders Crown Open Pace, Open Trot and Three-Year-Old Colt Pace will be drawn at the Breeders Crown Post Position Draw and Dinner on Tuesday, Oct. 25 at Country Heritage Park in Milton, Ont.
The full video stream from the Friday session is available below.
For results from the qualifying session, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park (Qualifiers).