Trainer Noel Daley enters the opening night of Breeders Crown action at Harrah's Hoosier Park with a pair of talented freshmen hoping for a double of sorts as the dozen year-end championships begin with four races on Friday and eight to follow on Saturday night. Daley saw both Buy A Round and Captain Albano capture eliminations to the Crown, and his opinion of both likely rests on just how they accomplished the task. Buy A Round, a 2-year-old trotting filly by Walner, was a nose winner in a blanketed photo in one of three eliminations for the $700,000 final carded as race 10 on Friday night. Captain Albano, the probable favorite for the $700,000 championship for colt and gelding pacers (race 11), scored by 3 1/2 lengths with his most impressive mile to date in one of three eliminations for that division. "She's going to need a trip," Daley said on Tuesday of Buy A Round. "She's just a little thing and there are six or seven in that field that can win. It's going to be up to Andy [McCarthy] to work something out." The homebred Buy A Round has captured six of eight races this year, good for $280K in earnings, and owns a 1:53 3/5 record taken at The Red Mile. "I don't think she can rough it first-over against these horses," said Daley. "If the weather is right on Friday she'll go without shoes." Daley knows there is plenty of talent in the field and was especially concerned with trainer Ake Svanstedt having three in the race – including elimination winner Warrawee Michelle (post four) – that could gum up the outer flow. That may be easier said than done in a field of this caliber, with Drawn Impression (post three) and Soiree Hanover (post one) likely to have a say in the early stages of the race as well. "I know people say they have a long stretch here [Hoosier Park], but it's not like you can be at the back of the pack and expect to win it," said Daley. "I hope she can stay near the pace." The Breeders Crown 2-year-old filly trot field has plenty of talented fillies beyond those mentioned, with Chaparmbro (post six) and Sierra Girl (post seven) entering the final off close defeats but not embarrassed by the elimination results. Chaparmbro set the table for Warrawee Michelle in her elimination heat but kept trotting through the wire to be a solid second. Sierra Girl, a Svanstedt trainee, hasn't missed the board in eight career starts, with a victory in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final on September 2 the highlight. The Bar Hopping filly captured that title despite losing ground at the outset and having to come a long way on the outside to pass the entire field. Ohio-sire stakes champion Sugar Instead (post eight) has won seven of her 10 career starts for trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. Chapalonia found room late in the stretch in last week's elimination race and came up a nose short of Buy A Round for trainer Annie Stoebe. The Chapter Seven-sired filly landed post five for the final. Senorita Palema (post nine) is the New York Sire Stakes champion for the Svanstedt stable and Date Night Hanover (post 10) captured the Kentucky Sire Stakes final. They complete a rich field of regional champions eyeing the sport's biggest prize. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter Captain Albano (post two) hadn't gotten the attention of the racing world despite capturing the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship prior to his arrival at The Red Mile, but the son of Captaintreacherous has certainly gotten noticed since knocking off the previously unbeaten Newsroom when the two met at The Red Mile on September 29. "Albano" went a career-best 1:49 2/5 clocking that day and then followed that up with two more stakes wins, including last Friday's 1:50 4/5 blowout in his Breeders Crown elimination. "I was concerned when Todd [McCarthy] opened up with him on the final turn because of the length of the stretch here," said Daley. "But he came back and he told me there was plenty left in the tank. "He shipped back to Lexington after the race and got there around 3 in the morning. They told me he was eating at 3:30," said Daley, who believes his horse has yet to be fully tested. On Friday night he'll likely meet the deepest group he's faced thus far, but there's every reason to believe he'll be up to the task. A $150,000 yearling purchased at Harrisburg last year, Daley said that many of his long-time owners were interested in the colt before he went into the ring. "Harvey Fried, who's been with me a long time, absolutely loved his video," said Daley. "The price was more than we usually pay." Captain Albano has more than paid for himself to date, and Daley compares him to some degree to his top pacing filly My Little Dragon of a few years back. "She wasn't that special until she got to the qualifiers," said Daley, who for much of the pre-racing season had not seen stardom in Captain Albano's future. "A few of the assistants thought otherwise and really like him." Bettors are certainly going to like his past performances heading into Friday's contest, with last week's front-end romp pulling away the last layer of mystery to the colt's imposing arsenal. Newsroom (post one) perhaps paid dearly for the 25 4/5 opening quarter he cut out in his elimination race and may finally get a chance to race from off-the-pace for trainer Joe Holloway. The Always B Miki-sired colt has lost two of his last three after winning his first six races this year, yet appears to fight quite hard to the wire no matter the circumstance. Better Is Nice (post three) has won seven of his 10 starts this year, including the rich Kentucky Sires Stakes final for trainer Tony Alagna. The colt from the first crop of Bettor's Wish has earned more than anyone else in the field and enters the race following a 1:50 3/5 come-from-behind score in his elimination. Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final champion Storm Shadow (post four) proved that he belonged with Grand Circuit company when he won for the third straight time in his Crown elimination race. The son of the ageless Bettor's Delight had lost six of his first seven races prior to the late-season form spree. Boston Rocks (post six) is the New York Sire Stakes champion and has been very competitive on the Grand Circuit since for trainer Steve Elliott. Boston Rocks has been on the board in all but one of his 12 starts this year. Metro pace runner-up Legendary Hanover was a fast-closing second behind Captain Albano in his Crown elimination and debut for trainer Linda Toscano. Legendary Hanover has won six of his eight career starts this year but drew the worst of it for Friday's final with post nine. Trainer Tony Alagna and Joe Holloway will both have a pair in this division, with Captain Luke (post seven) joining Better Is Nice for Alagna, and Nuclear (post eight) giving Joe Holloway a second chance as well. First-crop sire Captain Crunch is represented with Gem Quality (post five), and Indiana-sired Noblesville (post 10) gives the sport's leading trainer Ron Burke a contender. Friday's Hoosier Park card starts at 6:00 P.M. (EDT), and the Breeders Crown races are scheduled for the 10th to the 13th races.