• 2019 Dan Patch & O’Brien 2YO Pacing Colt of the Year
• 2020 Dan Patch 3YO Pacing Colt of the Year
• 2020 Dan Patch All-Age Pacer of the Year at Three
• 2020 Dan Patch All-Age Horse of the Year at Three
• Led ALL Harness Horses in Earnings in 2020 with $1.3 Million
• Only Horse in History to Win the Metro Pace & Breeders Crown at Two and The Meadowlands Pace & the North America Cup at Three

A magnificent dark bay individual standing 15.3 hands, TALL DARK STRANGER certainly lives up to his and is without question, one of the best-bred, best-performed stallions to ever be available in the Southern Hemisphere. Destined for greatness from birth, TALL DARK STRANGER was a $330,000 yearling purchase from the Lexington Selected Sale and was considered to be the premier pacing colt offered in 2018. His race record speaks for itself – TALL DARK STRANGER captured many of the sport’s classic and grand circuit events winning 6 consecutive races at 2 and 8 straight at 3. TALL DARK STRANGER was a true champion in every sense of the word displaying true grit, determination and heart each time he stepped onto the racetrack. He is only the second male pacer in 35 years to receive a Dan Patch Award at age 2 and return to be Horse of the Year at 3. The other was SOMEBEACHSOMEWHERE in 2008.

TALL DARK STRANGER was trained by the 2020 USA Trainer of the Year Nancy Takter. “He’s just the toughest horse ever,” Takter said. “I’m going to have to add smart to that, too, because he figured out what this is all about. He knew that he was supposed to be first and made sure that he was first. Where ‘heart of a champion’ is in the dictionary, TALL DARK STRANGER’s name and picture are right next to it.”

TALL DARK STRANGER hails from one of harness racing’s most prolific families. He is by Bettor’s Delight and his dam is the World Champion, Dan Patch & O’Brien Award winning 2YO Pacing filly of the year PRECOCIOUS BEAUTY who is a sister to SPORTSWIRTER. TALL DARK STRANGER stood his first season at stud in North America at the prestigious Hanover Shoe Farms where he received the absolute best collection of mares ever assembled for a stallion’s initial book including the 2018 3YO Pacing Filly of the Year & 2020 Pacing Mare of the Year KISSIN IN THE SAND p,3,1:47.4 ($1,741,094); the 2020 3YO Pacing Filly of the Year PARTY GIRL HILL p,1:47.2 ($880,345); World Champion and 2 & 3 Year Old Pacing Filly of the Year AMERICAN JEWEL p,3,1:48.2 ($1,840,565); World Champion, 2YO Pacing Filly and Dan Patch, Nova & O’Brien Pacing Mare of the Year MY LITTLE DRAGON p,1:48.1 ($2,318,623) and 3YO Pacing Filly of the Year and World Champion PUT ON A SHOW p,1:47.3 ($2,362,878), and dozens more too numerous to mention.

Race Career

At 2 – 8 Wins for $717,195 including:

• $750,000 Metro Stakes Final – 1:49.1
• $600,000 Breeders Crown Final – 1:51
• $82,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold – 1:51.2
• $54,800 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold – 1:51.1
• $68,750 International Stallion Stakes – 1:50
• The Dream Maker Series – 1:51
• Metro Stakes Elimination – 1:50.1

At 3 – 11 Wins for $1,302,681 including:

• $1 Million North America Cup Final – 1:48.2
• $636,650 Meadowlands Pace Final – 1:47.2
• $275,000 Cane Pace Final – 1:47.1
• $250,000 Kentucky Sires Stakes Final – 1:48
• $239,500 Tattersalls Pace – 1:47.2
• $67,600 Bluegrass Stakes – 1:48.3
• North America Cup Elimination – 1:48.4
• Meadowlands Pace Elimination – 1:48.1
• Breeders Crown Elimination – 1:48.4

Race Summary