Woodbine Mohawk Park: Tall Dark Stranger adds Pepsi North America Cup trophy to his haul

Tall Dark Stranger added a Pepsi North America Cup title to a resume that already included the Metro, Breeders Crown, Meadowlands Pace, and Cane, taking Woodbine Mohawk Park's signature C$1 million race for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers on Saturday night in 1:48 2/5. It was the first Pepsi North America Cup win for driver Yannick Gingras and the second straight triumph in the event for Nancy Takter, making her just the second trainer to accomplish that feat.

As expected Tattoo Artist (Bob McClure) jetted out from post seven to lead the field of ten to the opening quarter in 25 4/5, but he was the only hard leaver, allowing Gingras to settle into second with Tall Dark Stranger. As soon as they got past the quarter, Gingras brought his colt to the outside, and he marched up and around Tattoo Artist to take control well before the 53 3/5 half.

With a stalled Allywag Hanover (Louis-Philippe Roy) clogging the outer tier around the last turn, Gingras let Tall Dark Stranger zip over to three-quarters in 1:21, and although Tattoo Artist came to the outside in the lane, Tall Dark Stranger was just too strong in the last eighth, as he went on to score by two lengths. Tattoo Artist was a good second, and Moneyman Hill (Jonathan Drury) turned a three-hole trip in a third-place check at 127-1. Odds On Osiris (Sylvain Filion) raced near the back of the pack from a trailing post ten and finished well for fourth, with Capt Midnight (Doug McNair) fifth after ending up second-over behind the non-advancing Allywag Hanover.

Gingras elected to leave the United States after racing at Harrah's Hoosier Park on August 14 with this race in mind, so he was elated that it had worked out, even though his family, who was with him initially, had to return across the border earlier this week.

"It feels awesome, there's no doubt about it. This means so much. It's been a tough couple weeks, and the kids at home, I miss you guys, but I couldn't be any happier right now," Gingras said while fighting back tears. "I have all the confidence in the world in this colt. Last week, if anything, maybe I let them get a little too close to me. I talked to Nancy during the week, and I said if I have to be on the front, I'm going to roll him. I think he's just stronger than they are anyway right now. He can get them tired just by trying to keep up to him. I rolled him, and three-quarters was pretty hard, but he just never quits.

"He's a tremendous horse, a great horse. The best pacing colt I've ever driven; there's no doubt in my mind. He's an amazing animal."

Takter trains Tall Dark Stranger, a colt by Bettor's Delight, for owners Crawford Farms Racing, Marvin Katz, Caviart Farms, and Howard Taylor. Tall Dark Stranger now has a record of 14-1-0 from 16 starts, has banked C$1,941,999, and paid $3.20 to win as the favorite.

"I'm at a loss for words, and trust me, that doesn't happen too often," said Takter, who couldn't be on-site for the race, about winning back-to-back Pepsi North America Cups.

As the lone Canadian that's part of the ownership group, Katz was in the winner's circle following the victory and was thrilled with another triumph for Tall Dark Stranger.

"I'm overjoyed. I'm very excited. I've been doing this for a very long time, and I've been fortunate to have many great horses, but I think this guy really rates up with some of the greatest horses we've ever seen," he said. "This is historic; he won the Metro as a 2-year-old, he won the Breeders Crown as a 2-year-old, and he's come back and won the Meadowlands Pace and he's won the North America Cup. Somebeachsomewhere and Captaintreacherous, they couldn't do it, but he's done it. It's fabulous.

"I want to say hi to my partners - the Crawfords - Al and Michelle - the Chaffees - Buck and Judy, and the Taylors, and to Jimmy and Christina Takter as well. Yannick, you can see he's crying here tonight. He went over and above. His family really went out of their way to make this possible. This is huge. This is really meaningful."