Woodbine Mohawk Park: Tall Dark Stranger inherits Breeders Crown win via placing

The $600,000 (US) Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace final was expected to be a battle between elimination winner Papi Rob Hanover and Metro winner Tall Dark Stranger. That the two crossed the wire that way was just the beginning of a story that changed radically after the finish. Driver Yannick Gingras placed an objection on behalf of Tall Dark Stranger against David Miller on Papi Rob Hanover, and after a long period, the judges agreed, placing Tall Dark Stranger first and unofficial winner Papi Rob Hanover second in the final of four juvenile Breeders Crowns at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Friday night.

Tall Dark Stranger left alertly, going past Cattlewash into the first turn, with 6-5 favorite Papi Rob Hanover settling in third for Miller. Tall Dark Stranger cut effective fractions of 27 3/5 and 55 1/5 for the opening-half as the field was spread out passing that half-mile station. Miller went on the offensive midway on the final turn with Papi Rob Hanover, but by that time it appeared as if Gingras had gotten the fractions he needed, crossing three-quarters in 1:23 2/5 with Tall Dark Stranger. A bitter battled ensued in the homestretch as the two colts battled head-to-head right to the wire, with Papi Rob Hanover getting his head in front at the wire in the 1:51 mile.

The inquiry and objection signs both went up, and the judges determined that Papi Rob Hanover had made contact with Tall Dark Stranger, causing that one to lose his momentum.

“My colt was fighting back,” said Gingras after the race. “I haven’t made an objection since Yonkers in 2002.”

Sent off as the second choice in the field, Tall Dark Stranger returned $5.80 while notching his eighth win in nine career starts for trainer Nancy Johansson. Marvin Katz, Crawford Farms Racing, Caviart Farms, and Howard Taylor share ownership in Tall Dark Stranger, who was bred by James Avritt Sr.

Cattlewash finished third, with original fourth-place finisher Mayhem Hanover also getting disqualified for getting in the path of Capt Midnight in the late stages and causing that one to break. The judges placed Capt Midnight fourth with Mayhem Hanover revised back to fifth.