The writers in the North American racing industry took it upon themselves some time ago to declare the three-year-old pacing colt division of every jurisdictional state as being the “glamour boy” category. That may have to change.
It remains to play out, but the ranks of the four-year-old and older pacing horses for 2022 has all the potential to be one of the deepest classes…ever. That is an enormous assertion but just consider the idea.
In no particular order consider Tattoo Artist, Desperate Man, Lawless Shadow, Bulldog Hanover, Power Train, Rockyroad Hanover, Abuckabett Hanover, Charlie May, Allywag Hanover, Jimmy Freight, Southwind Gentry, Hellabalou, Enavant and Warrawee Vital. That’s 14 names and for sure not all of them are going to ring the bell but would you not want to own just one of them? And there may be one or two emerge from the bullrushes too.
If one of these is able to separate himself from the pack it will take a herculean effort of talent and consistency. On paper this is a truly remarkable group.
Bulldog Hanover is one of these. Again he will race from the Jack Darling stable. Based on looks he is a hands down winner but good looks do not win races. There is a lot of heavy slogging ahead and with this many players there will be no easy starts.
One day two weeks ago might have been the worst training day of the year at Classy Lane Training Centre. The weather was positively putrid and the track was a quagmire of mud. Nobody was having fun.
It was just a jog day for Bulldog. He almost looked as though he was having fun. This is one powerful specimen of a horse. Very muscular and yet light on his feet, the four-year-old Shadow Play son is being pointed to an early May qualifier.
Last year going into the North America Cup final he looked the best of the three-year-olds. But then inexplicably he faltered. He was just not the same horse and no one on the horse’s team has any idea why. His blood was fine, scoped OK, was not lame but he did not have that Mike Tyson killer punch.
In late October he made four starts in Indiana winning them all against lesser competition. That was worth $184,000 to Darling and partner Brad Grant but he failed in the Cup and the Ontario Sires Stake Super final.
So no one knows just what happened. Was it a brief anomaly or had he regressed from a tough campaign? What will he be like this year?
Darling is no fool and knows the horse has to be better even though he was pretty damn good last season. This is the heavyweight division and the lifting gets heavier, a lot heavier. But all that can be done is being done to prepare the horse and Darling is under no illusion as to just how deep this division is.
Meanwhile, Bulldog is doing his bit by pulling double shifts. In addition to training he is in the breeding shed three times a week. It is looking like he will get 100 mares to cover which is a nice bit of added revenue to the cause. Reportedly, seems to be enjoying the work too.
Bulldog is just one that we chose to profile from the pack. There are a bunch of other trainers all wondering if their horse will be good enough. It’s all a bit like professional golf where there no longer is a standout golfer. There are just too many challengers nipping at each other’s heels. Win one week and count your blessings as it may be a while before you are back.
It’s difficult to recall just when there were this many top prospects for the older pacing class but it has been a while.
Move over glamour boys, there’s a lot tougher gang in town.
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All Rights Reserved | Seelster Farm
Site designed by patchwork design
in conjunction with Lambeth Desktop
Photos: Ann Straatman, Dave Landry and others