The Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society (OSAS) will be hosting a fun fundraiser at Woodbine Mohawk Park this weekend in celebration of the fastest Standardbred of all time, Bulldog Hanover.
Owned by his trainer Jack Darling and Brad Grant, Bulldog Hanover enjoyed a 2022 season that was beyond compare. In addition to becoming the swiftest harness horse ever with his 1:45.4 effort in the William Haughton final stateside at The Meadowlands, he won 14 of 16 races and $1.8 million to give him a total of $2.7 million lifetime.
Now retired and standing stud at Seelster Farms in Lucan, Ont., 'Bulldog' concluded his illustrious racing career being inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame and named Horse of the Year on both sides of the border.
This Saturday night, Sept. 2, Mohawk will be celebrating Bulldog’s career and fans (19 and older) will have the opportunity to try the special lager named in his honour, Bulldog Brew. The beer was first introduced by The Raceway at Western Fair District during its signature race night this past May.
One dollar from the sale of each tall boy can of Bulldog Brew on Saturday at Mohawk will go towards the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society, the official adoption agency for harness horses in the province for close to 30 years. Fans have the opportunity to support OSAS, which has found forever loving homes for more than 1,000 pacers and trotters.
OSAS will also have booths inside and outside the grandstand, where patrons can purchase merchandise and/or make a donation. Every Saturday through the summer, OSAS provides a horse for the very popular Meet & Greet, which gives folks attending the races a chance to see a horse up close and have their photo taken with them. This Saturday’s horse is the uniquely-coloured trotter, The Painted Pony.
In addition to the Bulldog Hanover celebrations, Mohawk’s stakes-laden card also includes the Canadian Pacing Derby -- a race in which Bulldog tied the all-time Canadian record of 1:46.4 in 2022 -- as well as the Maple Leaf Trot, Simcoe Stakes divisions and Ontario Sires Stakes Gold events. Post time is 7:10 p.m.
(With files from Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society)