2025 Builder Inductee
From the moment Ivan Dalos claimed his first racehorse in the 1970s, he was captivated by the world of Thoroughbred racing and breeding. Although that initial horse didn’t make much of an impact in her debut, the experience sparked a lifelong passion. Driven by a desire to learn every facet of the sport, Ivan went on to establish Tall Oaks Farm – a name that has since become synonymous with excellence. Over the past four decades, Tall Oaks has grown into one of Canada’s most successful and respected Thoroughbred breeding operations, a testament to Ivan’s vision, dedication, and love for the sport.
Ivan Dalos immigrated to Canada from Hungary around the time E.P. Taylor opened Woodbine Racetrack in 1956. He built a successful business in the flooring and construction industry, but it wasn’t until a friend invited him to the racetrack that his passion for horse racing was sparked. That first visit ignited a deep fascination, and Ivan quickly immersed himself in the world of Thoroughbreds. With a keen eye and relentless curiosity, he dove into the study of breeding and bloodlines—always in pursuit of the perfect “nick”.
It didn’t take long for one of the first horses he bred to make news on an international stage. Victory Gallop, a son of Cryptoclearance and the first foal of his mare Victorious Lil (a yearling sale purchase), spoiled Real Quiet’s bid for a Triple Crown sweep in 1998 when he beat him by a nose in the Belmont Stakes (G1).
And there was the fortuitous purchase of a local race mare, Silly Billie, that started the remarkable ‘Ami’ line. Sybelle Ami, a daughter of Silly Billie, produced the stakes placed filly, Secret Ami, who has produced two strong branches of stakes winners through her daughters Galloping Ami and Victorious Ami. That breeding gave Ivan his champion Amis Gizmo, now an Ontario stallion, and champion Ami’s Mesa, his brilliant sprinting mare who was second by a nose in the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1). Both Galloping Ami and Victorious Ami, won Sovereign Awards for Outstanding Broodmare.
The mare that produced the most accomplished horse bred by Ivan to this point, In Return, is the dam of Grade 1 winner Channel Maker, the Eclipse Award winner for Champion American Turf Male in 2020 and a career earner of over $3.3 million. In Return also produced Grade 1 winner, Johnny Bear, and she completed an Outstanding Broodmare Sovereign Award hat trick for Ivan in 2018. Tall Oaks won its first Sovereign for Outstanding Breeder in 2018 and doubled up in 2020.
The Dalos bloodlines remain strong. One of the best American 3-year-old fillies in 2025 is Kopion, a Grade winner out of Galloping Ami.
The Dalos bloodlines remain a force in Thoroughbred racing. In 2025, one of the top American three-year-old fillies is Kopion, a graded stakes winner put of Galloping Ami, one of Ivan’s most influential broodmares.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to Canadian racing and breeding, Ivan was honored in 2022 with the E.P. Taylor Award of Merit – a fitting tribute to a true builder of the sport.
A dedicated family man Ivan has always said he started Tall Oaks for his family. Today, his daughter Colleen is president of Tall Oaks as well as a director on the Ontario board of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society.