Dark Horse

Among its most valuable players are Ms. Allen, a wise and adaptable pianist, and Ms. Spalding, a bassist and singer probably best known as the dark-horse standout of last year's Grammy Awards. ❋ Unknown (2012)

Meanwhile, the company agreed to sell its Taiwanese unit to a dark-horse bidder for $2.16 billion ❋ Unknown (2011)

The founding prophet, Joseph Smith, was murdered during a dark-horse campaign for the presidency. ❋ Jonathan Weisman (2011)

Taylor and Sargent would be dark-horse candidates. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Associated Press John Bolton, former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. is a possible dark-horse contender for the 2012 GOP presidential nominations. ❋ Neil King Jr. (2011)

This was emerging as the dark-horse possibility—until Nova's statement game on Wednesday. ❋ Daniel Barbarisi (2011)

Here you had me, deemed publicly unreliable, and a pair of dark-horse ice dancers? ❋ Johnny Weir (2011)

But he is considered a dark-horse candidate to succeed Mr. Buffett because he is 67 years old. ❋ Liam Pleven (2011)

*** Business & Finance American International Group agreed to sell its Taiwan unit to a dark-horse bidder, a consortium dominated by Ruentex Group, for $2.16 billion in its second attempt to exit the market and recoup money it owes the U.S. government. ❋ Unknown (2011)

And that's why the Internet has made it easier for small folks, whether small firms or dark-horse candidates such as Howard Dean, to take on the big ones. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Israeli central banker Stanley Fischer announced a formal bid to head the International Monetary Fund, positioning himself as a dark-horse candidate as the race enters its final stages. ❋ Bob Davis (2011)

For that reason, a deep-pocketed, dark-horse bidder—whose name hasn't been bandied about—may still emerge as the winner. ❋ Craig Karmin (2011)

Insurance giant American International Group Inc. has agreed to sell its Taiwan unit to a dark-horse bidder for US$2.16 billion in its second attempt to exit the market and recoup money it owes the U.S. government. ❋ Aries Poon (2011)

Still, in a relatively weak year for movies, "Margin Call," with its handful of early awards and a first-rate ensemble cast that includes Oscar winners Kevin Spacey and Jeremy Irons , has been slotted by some into the dark-horse Best Picture spot previously occupied by "The Hurt Locker" and 2011 contender "Winter's Bone." ❋ Bruce Bennett (2011)

The power of classics was illustrated when Billy Reid , a Southern designer known for his quirky take on classics, became a dark-horse candidate for the influential CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award last year — and won. ❋ Christina Binkley (2011)

With those three coming back, PC could be a dark-horse contender for a top-half finish in next year's standings. ❋ Unknown (2010)

A decision by Italy's government to choose a dark-horse candidate to succeed Mario Draghi as its central bank head has thrown the makeup of the ECB's executive board into disarray. ❋ Unknown (2011)

He is the dark horse who stays cool and humble. He has quite confidence of [the genius] who doesn't need to [flaunt] his effortless [brilliance]. ❋ Urdu/Persian/Arabic Dictionary (2018)

[Georgia Tech] was a dark horse in the 2004 [NCA] basketball [tournament]. ❋ King (2005)

‘You got [Lizzie] into [bed]? Damn, you’re a dark horse man. We’ve all been [trying] for months’ ❋ MJ79 (2006)

A dark horse like that could have [dealt] [a major] blow to your [credibility]. ❋ The Return Of Light Joker (2010)

When he won at [Watkins Glen], AJ Allmendinger went from [dark horse] to recognized road course [specialist]. ❋ Fajlkg Sdfjkldfs ;jksaj Djdfk; (2014)

I saw Ryan buy 4 different [cards] for [Valentines Day], he is such a Dark-Horse, [i never] know what he's up to. ❋ Herr Gilbert (2012)

"Did you hear Dick won a [mountain biking] race?" "Wow! What a [dark horse], I thought he was a couch potato!!!" "Trent has a [new hot] younger girlfriend, they were keeping it secret because he's her dad's friend" "What a dark horse!!!" ❋ Ms Marple (2021)

[The dark] [horse] spent her life trying to throw everyone else off, to win at any cost to [everybody else]. Most of them did not know that life was thrown already. ❋ Solid Mantis (2021)

[The dark] horse was trying to throw everybody that wasn't herself off to win at any cost. [None of them] knew [the race] was already thrown. ❋ Solid Mantis (2021)

You can [pick up] Dark Horse [comics] at your local [comic book] store. ❋ Escalus (2005)