Dover: Captain Albano ends racing career with Progress Pace triumph

Captain Albano's racing career wrapped up in Wednesday night's $267,960 Progress Pace final for 3-year-old males, and the Captaintreacherous colt went out with a bang, posting a 1:49 1/5 victory.

The open draw put Captain Albano in post six, outside of the other logical contenders in the race, and then 47-1 shot Captain Luke (Scott Zeron) blasted out of the gate to his inside on top of it, forcing Captain Albano and driver Todd McCarthy to drive on past a wicked 25 1/5 opening quarter to get to the front.

McCarthy was able to quickly back the tempo down to 54 seconds at the half, and that was key as Breeders Crown champion Mirage Hanover (Dexter Dunn) came out first-up from fourth but stalled out in second as the pace quickened back up to 1:21 4/5 at three-quarters.

On the final bend Captain Albano got separation from the pack and wouldn't be challenged to the wire, winning by 2 1/4 lengths. Nijinsky (Louis Roy), who got away in the pocket and then elected to sit in and take a shuffle, came through in the passing lane to get second from a game Captain Luke with Mirage Hanover fourth and Calicojack Hanover (Dan Dube) fifth.

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"There was a lot speed there early. I wanted to keep pressing and be handy. We had to do a lot that first quarter, then after that I kind of just wanted to control the pace a little bit and get a little breather in the middle there; try and keep everyone happy," McCarthy relayed about his strategy. "Full credit to Noel (trainer Noel Daley) and the horse. He finished up so strong, and he was just a pleasure to drive tonight.

"As the year's gone on, he's just gotten stronger and stronger. I believe that's his last start there, he goes to stud now. It's kind of a sad moment for me. He's just been such a pleasure to drive, and like I said, he's just gotten stronger. He's just a real thrill to get behind every single time."

Bred by Fred Hertrich III and his All American Harnessbreds, Captain Albano is owned by Patricia Stable, L. A. Express Stable LLC., Sjoblom Racing Inc. and Michael Dolan and is trained by Noel Daley. Captain Albano, who paid $3.40 to win as the 3-5 favorite, retires with 19 wins from 27 career starts and earnings of $1,564,223. His next stop is stallion duty at New York's Blue Chip Farms.

"He's quite a happy, easy horse to handle and be around. He's a pleasure to have," remarked Daley. "We turn him out, but we ship him every day. He goes about ten minutes away to a paddock, and he loves being out there for a couple of hours. He really takes care of himself and Sonja (caretaker Sonja Booth) has done a great job with him. To go all year like he has, it's a good result.

"That was a good way to end out the year. That sort of takes any doubts out of who was the best 3-year-old, for me any how."