April 2021 Issue

Page 34 April 2021 EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN By Ken Weingartner U.S. Trotting Association Tall Dark Stranger, a 3-year- old male pacer who was harness racing’s lone millionaire last season, was named 2020 Horse of the Year by the U.S. Harness Writers Association. Trained by Nancy Takter and driven by Yannick Gingras, both of Allentown, NJ, Tall Dark Stranger won 11 of 13 races and $1.30 million last year. He also was named Pacer of the Year and the sport’s top 3-year-old male pacer during USHWA’s virtual Dan Patch Awards show. The show replaced the organization’s traditional awards banquet, which was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Four-year-old Gimpanzee was named Trotter of the Year and best older male trotter. Trained by Marcus Melander, New Egypt, NJ, and driven by Brian Sears, Seacaucus, NJ, Gimpanzee won eight of 11 races and $980,964 last season. His earnings were second to Tall Dark Stranger. Trotters winning divisional Dan Patch Award honors in addi- tion to Gimpanzee were 2-year- old male Venerate, 2-year-old female Anoka Hanover, 3-year- old male Amigo Volo, 3-year-old female Ramona Hill, and older female Manchego. Pacers garnering divisional awards in addition to Tall Dark Stranger were 2-year-old male Perfect Sting, 2-year-old female Fire Start Hanover, 3-year-old female Party Girl Hill, older male Bettor’s Wish, and older female Kissin In The Sand. Tall Dark Stranger, Bettor’s Wish, Kissin In The Sand, Gim- panzee, Ramona Hill, and Man- chego all were Dan Patch Award winners in previous years. Takter, the 2020 Trainer of the Year, had three division champions: Kissin In The Sand, Manchego, and Tall Dark Strang- er. Nifty Norman, Allentown, NJ, and Chris Ryder trained two each; Norman had Amigo Volo and Fire Start Hanover while Ryder had Bettor’s Wish and Party Girl Hill. Dexter Dunn, Allentown, NJ, the 2020 Driver of the Year, was the regular driver of six champs: Tall Dark Stranger is Horse of the Year Amigo Volo, Bettor’s Wish, Fire Start Hanover, Kissin In The Sand, Manchego, and Party Girl Hill. In voting for Horse of the Year, Tall Dark Stranger received 89 votes, followed by Party Girl Hill with 29 and Gimpanzee with six. Receiving two votes each were Bettor’s Wish, Perfect Sting, and Ramona Hill. Anoka Hanover rounded out the balloting with one vote. Pacer of the Year voting saw Tall Dark Stranger outdistance runner-up Party Girl Hill, 93-31, among five horses receiving at least one vote. Trotter of the Year balloting saw Gimpanzee with 80 votes, followed by Ramona Hill with 29 and Amigo Volo with 11. Three other trotters also received at least one vote. Tall Dark Stranger, by Bet- tor’s Delight out of Precocious Beauty, is the 19th 3-year-old male pacer to be named Horse of the Year since the award began in 1947. 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. Among Tall Dark Stranger’s wins last year were the North America Cup, Meadowlands Pace, Cane Pace, and Kentucky Sire Stakes championship. He finished second by a neck in the Breeders Crown. “He’s just the toughest hors- es 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 he made sure that he was first. “Where ‘heart of a champi- on’ is in the dictionary, Tall Dark Stranger’s name and picture are right next to it.” Tall Dark Stranger is owned by Crawford Farms Racing, Marvin Katz, Caviart Farms, and Howard Taylor. He was bred by Jim Avritt Sr. The colt is Takter’s second Horse of the Year winner, joining JK She’salady in 2014. She is the 13th trainer in history with at least two different Horse of the Year honorees. Gingras has (Continued on page 35) Calendar of Events 23 Cross Country School. Sporting Days Farm, Aiken, SC. (610) 613-2010 or sportingdays farm.com 24 Cross Country School- ing. Fair Hill Natural Resources Area, Elkton, MD. Fairhillinter national.org 24 St. Augustine Pony Club Springfest Starter Horse Trials. Unicorn Farm, Chesapeake City, MD. (717) 940-8055 or secretary @staugustineponyclub.com 24 Making Strides Hunt- er-Jumper Schooling Show. Co- lumbia Horse Center, Columbia, MD. (410) 508-8813 or morning sidestables.horse 24 Above the Standard Show Series. Bridge Acres Stable, Lancaster, PA. atsshowseries.com 24 Frederick Area Dressage Show. Blue Horse Farm, Jeffer- son, MD. Frederickdressage.org 24 124th Maryland Hunt Cup. Worthington Valley, Reisterstown, MD. Marylandhuntcup.com 24-25 Dressage Experience, Spring Fling. Horse Park of New Jersey, Allentown, NJ. (609) 259- 0170 or Horseparkofnewjersey.com 24-25 Garden State Paint As- soc. Breed Horse Show. Glouces- ter County Dream Park, Logan Twp., NJ. Dreamparknj.com 25 Hunter/Jumper, English, Western Show. Suffolk Stables, Shamong, NJ. (609) 346-7093 or suffolkstables.com 25 Schooling Combined Test. Bucks County Horse Park, Revere, PA. (610) 847-8597 or buckscountyhorsepark.org 25 Driving Show. Suffolk Stables, Shamong, NJ. (609) 346- 7093 or suffolkstables.com 25 Dressage Schooling Show. Breezy Run Farm, Church Hill, MD. (410) 570-4742 or breezyrunfarm.com 25 Above the Standard Show Series. Rosewood Eques- trian Center, East Greenville, PA. atsshowseries.com 27-May 1 19th Annual Penn State Quarter Horse Sale (virtu- al). (814) 863-0569 or site.psu. edu/quarterhorsesale/ 28 First Chance Dressage Schooling Show. By Chance Farm, Union Bridge, MD. Karmicrun.com 28 Twilight Eventing. Loch Moy Farm, Adamstown, MD. (301) 514-0111 or themaryland horsetrials.com 28 Stephen Bradley Clinic Series. Covered Bridge Farm, Woodbine, MD. (301) 774-1446 or abitbetterfarm.com 28-May 2 Princeton Spring Classic II. Princeton Show Jump- ing, Skillman, NJ. (908) 327- 3388 or princetonshowjumping. com 30 Cheshire Hunt Point to Point. Plantation Field, Union- ville, PA. (610) 347-1918 or cheshirepointtopoint.com 30 Friday Evening Event- ing. Bucks County Horse Park, Revere, PA. (610) 847-8597 or buckscountyhorsepark.org 30-May 2 Keystone Saddle- bred Show. Horse Park of New Jersey, Allentown, NJ. (609) 259- 0170 or Horseparkofnewjersey. com 30-May 2 Carlos Carniero Working Equitation Clinic. Oak Spring Equestrian, Woodbine, MD. Karmicrun.com 30-May 2 Eastern PA Reining Horse Association Show. Gloucester County Dream Park, Logan Twp., NJ. Dreamparknj. com (Continued from page 33) FARMS HORSES HELP WANTED FREE Print subscribers get FREE classifieds! Print subscribers get FREE non-commercial classified ads! Just email your non-commercial (events, horses/trailers/tack for sale, boarding/lessons/training etc.) classified, 35 words or less to steph@eastcoaste- questrian.net . Be sure to include your name and mailing address as it appears on your subscription label. (Not a print subscriber? Sign up online at eastcoastequestrian.net .) Classifieds can run in more than one issue but must be resubmitted each month. Deadline is the 12th of the month before publication. MISC. TRAINING : Westfield Farm LLC, Tailored for horse and owner. ALL Breeds and disci- plines. We will make your trail horse safe or a winning show horse More info at Westfield- farmllc.com or CALL 717-432- 2828. We get results. Quiet, no stress 40-acre facility 10 min. to DE Memorial & Com- modore Barry bridges, adjacent to 38 mi. of marked/GPS trails. Lit round pen/arena, ¼ mi. track, wooded jump & competitive trail courses. $300 pasture/$500 stall board. 609-617-2118. RIDING INSTRUCTORS WANTED. Our friendly and busy facility in Morristown, NJ is in need of two additional Riding Instructors: one full-time and one part-time.$20 to $40/hr, benefits and great atmosphere. email: seatonh@verizon.net SUMMER CAMP COUNSEL- ORS WANTED. We are recruit- ing paid CIT’s and Counselors for our award-winning Horseback Riding camp in Morristown, NJ. Anyone interested, please email seatonh@verizon.net and get great earnings while enjoying our great camp atmosphere. 2 (2019, 2020) KFPS/FHANA registered full papered Friesian fillies, UTDS, coggins, handled daily, good for farrier and vet, Dreams Come True Farm, Carlisle, PA. Gail 717-372-2650 Gorgeous 4 y.o., 15.3+ hands OTTB mare, flashy chestnut with white, great mind, hacks out quietly, lovely mover. 610-384-5540 or text 610-914-5317 for photos. Omega Horse Rescue located in Airville, PA has a variety of horses and ponies ready for their forever homes! Please visit our website to see pictures, videos and how you can help! www.omega horserescue.com Better than right off the track! The PTHA's Turning for Home, Inc. always has OTTBs that are properly rehabbed, retrained and ready for their new careers. Find your next horse at www.turningforhome. org or call 215-808-7562. Live Edge spalted maple, walnut, hickory, oak, burls hardwood for sale. I would like to buy old cast iron warehouse/ factory cart wheel and industrial machine legs. 717-968-0083 CATS: Barn homes in Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery Counties, PA. are needed to give rescued strays a chance at life. Cats are neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated; delivered and acclimated. Fill out an application to adopt at StrayCatBlues.org or call 215-631-1851 Exiss 6 Horse slant aluminum gooseneck 2001. Stainless nose. Lighted, car- peted dressing room. Extra rear compartment. Many saddle/bridle racks. Everything removable to enlarge stalls or fit carts. 7'6"ht. Extremely nice condi- tion. $17,000. OBO 717-432-2828 FREE listing for your events! Submit event name, location, city, state and contact info to steph@eastcoastequestrian.net by the 10th of the month preceding publication. Three year old Tall Dark Stranger, trained by Trainer of the Year Nancy Takter, was named 2020 Horse of the Year by the US Harness Racing Writers Association. The year’s only millionaire, Tall Dark Stranger received a Dan Patch Award at age two and won 11 of 13 races in 2020. Photo credit: Mark Hall