Meadowlands: Tall Dark Stranger fights back to defeat Papi Rob Hanover in Pace final

The rivalry between Tall Dark Stranger and Papi Rob Hanover continued in thrilling fashion in Saturday night's $636,650 Meadowlands Pace final for 3-year-old male pacers, with Tall Dark Stranger battling back in the last eighth after getting passed by his foe to win in 1:47 2/5.

Ten horses lined up behind the gate for the signature race at the Meadowlands, and Captain Kirk (Joe Bongiorno) rocketed away from post ten, making front before the 25 4/5 opening quarter. Tall Dark Stranger (Yannick Gingras) was two-wide and advancing from post five at that point, with Captain Barbossa (Brian Sears), Papi Rob Hanover (David Miller), Catch The Fire (Mike Wilder), and a two-wide Allywag Hanover (Tim Tetrick) following in behind.

Tall Dark Stranger made his way around Captain Kirk and seized control of the race beyond the quarter, and Gingras was able to get Tall Dark Stranger to the half in 53 2/5. Business picked up after that station as Papi Rob Hanover moved up first-over and Allywag Hanover followed the cover, with Manticore (Jordan Stratton) also getting into the two-wide group third-over.

At the 1:20 4/5 three-quarters Tall Dark Stranger still had a head in front of Papi Rob Hanover, but Papi Rob Hanover continued to advance determinedly and got an advantage on the outside in the lane. Gingras kept after Tall Dark Stranger, though, and the son of Bettor's Delight responded to his urging, coming back on on the inside and getting the victory by a neck. Allywag Hanover had every chance to go by the top two but had to settle for third, and Manticore was fourth. Captain Barbossa (Brian Sears) checked in fifth.

"This is such a game horse. He's tough and he just needed to see the other horse. He came back in the stretch," remarked Gingras. "He's a great horse and really gritty. Once you're passed, there was definitely an anxious moment, but it's the same thing as the Breeders Crown last year. For the people that weren't believers last year that I wasn't coming back, well, this is the proof today."

Nancy Takter trains Tall Dark Stranger for owners Crawford Farms Racing, Marvin Katz, Caviart Farms, and Howard Taylor. Tall Dark Stranger went over the $1 million mark in career earnings with the victory, and he now has 11 wins and a second in 12 career attempts. He paid $3.00 to win as the 1-2 favorite.

"He's proven himself now, and he's just a great, great horse," said Buck Chaffee of Caviart Farms. "I was really worried at the top of the stretch. I thought that we were going to lose, frankly. Papi Rob is a great horse and for Stranger to fight back like he did just shows his grit and his heart. He's got that champion in him, and he just brings it out."