There is only one horse that's been racing in the 2026 edition of the MGM Borgata Series that at one time was considered a solid stallion prospect. Captain Albano couldn't clear enough hurdles to forego a life outside the racetrack, and the son of Captaintreacherous returned in 2025 to race for trainer Noel Daley. Now a 5-year-old with a bit more experience, Captain Albano looks for his second straight win in the series at MGM Yonkers Raceway in Monday's third leg of the lucrative event. "It was always my intention when we brought him back last year to race him for at least two years," said Daley. "Then obviously we would hope that he could become a stallion perhaps the way Sweet Lou was able to accomplish that." The Sweet Lou reference, of course, is legitimate as the now-leading pacing sire in North America followed up a brilliant first two years on the racetrack with a solid aged record and has since flourished in his second career. Now with a shade under $2.2 million in career earnings, Captain Albano appears to be rounding into form with Daley a bit happier following his 1:51 4/5 overland victory in the second leg of the series on April 6. "I was a little surprised that he got away fourth from the rail in the first leg," said Daley. "Last week he was better and did what I would have expected." What Captain Albano did was overcome an off-the-pace trip over the usual speed-favoring Yonkers half-mile oval and then rolled past the favored Redwood Hanover in the stretch drive. It was an indication to some degree of class and will, and you don't win 28 career races in 48 starts without having the capacity to win in spite of a tough trip. "He's just a solid horse," said Daley. "You can leave the gate with him but not without asking him to go. He's a bit lazy." Perhaps in other sports lazy wouldn't be a compliment, but that characteristic has been applied to many great horses, and Captain Albano certainly fits that mold. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter "He didn't have much of a break between last year and this year and I only qualified him once," said Daley, suggesting that load management and the anticipation of a long racing season may have had something to do with an average performance in the March 30 opening leg of the MGM Borgata Series. "I did plan to race him six straight weeks in the series but will see how that plays out." With only three $50,000 divisions in Monday's third preliminary round of the series, a solid win this week may be enough to give Daley the luxury of a week off. That said, Monday's division will put Captain Albano on the outside from post seven against a field that includes two-leg winner Huntinthelastdolar (post six), as well as the defending champion Mossdale Ben N (post three). Daley's confidence in Captain Albano comes from experience and his game plan for 2026 is modeled after what his horse does well. "He's very good on a small track," said Daley. Last year that efficiency on four-turn ovals helped Captain Albano bank $597K, with a healthy chunk of the money coming at the end of the year with three wins in the MGM Grand Prix Series preliminaries and a second-place finish in the lucrative final on December 19. "He'll get some time off following this series," said Daley. "We've staked him well the rest of the year, but I've consciously left him out of a few races with the idea that he'll get invites to some of those big races over half-mile tracks." At least two of those events could happen later this year at Yonkers Raceway, with the Aria Invitational on International Trot Day and the year-end MGM Grand Prix on the radar. Daley believes that Captain Albano could enjoy more success on the big track this year than in 2025. "He didn't have the racing luck last year," said the trainer of the big-track experience. "He'll have plenty of opportunity this year as a 5-year-old." Daley's stable has grown in number and last year's results were indicative as the stable earned above $5.1 million for the first time. "I was really proud that we made that much with a lot of different horses earning $100K plus," said Daley, who like many trainers, is looking for champions and has younger horses as the core of his stable. With half the barn just 2 years old, Daley has a decent group of sophomore trotters getting prepared for action and has visions of a Hambletonian contender in a horse that made just one start as a freshman. "We'll have to see how it goes but if there's one horse it's Kibbie J," said Daley about the son of Walner that finished third in his lone 2-year-old pari-mutuel race in 2025. "He really wasn't the way I wanted him to be that day," continued the trainer about the respectable third-place finish in a division of the International Stallion Stakes at The Red Mile on October 3. A $345,000 yearling purchase of Ken Jacobs at the 2024 Lexington Selected auction, Kibbie J is a half-brother to Six Pack.  "He'll stay on the mile track hopefully to the Hambletonian," said Daley of  Kibbie J, who is New Jersey eligible and could gain the much-needed racing experience on his way to the sport's biggest race. Daley believes he's got the talent to be a star if he can stay together. Daley's stable took advantage of the lucrative Kentucky program a year ago and figures to be back stronger in 2026. The Captain Corey-sired Carve was a $216K earner in her first year on the track, and she's pointing for the Oak Grove Trotting Derby's filly division in May. Naked And Famous is another sophomore filly that prospered in the Bluegrass State, and she's also nominated to the Oak Grove event. Signal Caller, according to Daley, is as fast as any horse he's ever had. That said, the son of Captaintreacherous has yet to prove he's the best. A six-figure earner in a dozen starts last year with a 1:48 4/5 record, Signal Caller is staked to the big dances this year. With about 44 juveniles in training, Daley is happy with the progress many are making. There's one filly though that he singled out as being worth following. Dejeuner, a $1 million purchase, caught much attention at last year's Lexington auction with Daley taking her home for owner Patty Key. "That was ridiculous money to spend," said Daley. "But I think I picked the right one." Dejeuner has been quite impressive training down, and the daughter of Walner-French Café has a championship pedigree. "She's been training with my 2-year-old pacers and holding her own quite nicely," said Daley of Dejeuner.