Bulldog Hanover (1:45.8), the fastest standardbred of all time and who is expected to be named USA Horse of the Year and Pacer of the Year, was the unanimous choice for the Dan Patch Older Pacer of the Year award.

‘The Bulldog’, a four-year-old son of former Alabar Bloodstock stallion Shadow Play, dazzled the racing world this year by putting up four of the nine fastest race miles in history among a record six victories in under 1:47.

Bulldog Hanover won 14 of his 16 starts and a season’s high $1.64 million including successes in the William Haughton Memorial, Breeders Crown, Canadian Pacing Derby, Graduate Series, Hoosier Park Pacing Derby and TVG Series final.

All told, ‘The Bulldog’ won 28 of his 37 lifetime starts for $2.4 million in stakes.

Bred to 79 mares while still racing this year, Bulldog Hanover will serve a full book of 140 mares in his second season at Seelster Farms in Ontario, Canada.

The Art Major mare Test Of Faith, the leading stakes-winning female in 2022 with $820,043, was named Older Mare Pacer of the Year, while the North America Cup and Breeders Crown winner Pebble Beach (by Downbytheseaside) was the 3YO Colt of the Year and Treacherous Dragon, whose wins included the Breeders Crown, Fan Hanover and Jugette, the 3YO Filly of the Year.

Two Canadian pacers in Stockade Seelster (by State Treasurer) and Sylvia Hanover (by Always B Miki) were awarded 2YO Colt and 2YO Filly of the Year respectively. Both raced solely at Woodbine Mohawk Park, Ontario, with Stockade Seelster annexing the Metro Pace and Ontario Sire Stakes Super final and Sylvia Hanover winning the Breeders Crown and She’s A Great Lady.

Bella Bellini, the richest squaregaiter in North America this year with $1.08 million, was named the Older Mare Trotter of the Year. The four-year-old daughter of Bar Hopping’s major successes included the Hambletonian Maturity, Breeders Crown and Caesar’s Trotting Classic.

Three progeny of this year’s premier trotting sire Chapter Seven collected Dan Patch awards. Volume Eight, the fastest of his age, gait and sex in 2022, was named 2YO Trotting Colt of the Year, the Hambletonian champion Cool Papa Bell the 3YO Colt/Gelding of the Year and Joviality S, the top earning trotter this year with $1.08 million, the leading three-year-old trotting filly.

Chapter Seven’s great son Walner figured as the sire of the 2YO Filly Trotter of the Year Special Way, the Canadian record-breaking winner of the Breeders Crown.

The Danish-bred Ecurie D, a stablemate of Special Way, was named Aged Male Trotter of the Year, due largely to his world record 1:49.2 triumph in the Cutler Memorial and stakes record-equalling 1:51 score in the Breeders Crown.