Harrah's Hoosier Park: Elims complete for Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt Pace

Three $25,000 eliminations were needed for the Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt Pace on Friday night at Harrah's Hoosier Park, and the victories were taken by Better Is Nice, Storm Shadow and Captain Albano.

Better Is Nice (Andy McCarthy) rallied from third-over to capture the opening elimination in 1:50 3/5. Newsroom (David Miller) cut fractions of 25 4/5, 54 4/5 and 1:23 2/5, after working on the first turn to get by Dancin Champion (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.), but Newsroom was worn down and overtaken in the lane by a first-over Gem Quality (Dexter Dunn). Gem Quality got some separation on the group after he struck the front, but McCarthy had Better Is Nice finishing well to his outside, and Better Is Nice caught and went by Gem Quality nearing the wire to tally by a neck. Gem Quality had to settle for second and Newsroom held off Huntingforchrome (Joe Bongiorno) to collect third.

"To start, for the first quarter I was pretty happy with that. In my head I'm like 'I've got to push off a little bit and try and get handy.' Then the first eighth, I went, 'well that's not going to work,' so we kind of retreated," McCarthy said about his strategy. "They ended up getting down there on time, and it was a pretty good spot to be actually.

"He's so much fun, this horse. He's got like crazy amounts of speed. I'm looking forward to next week."

By Bettor's Wish and out of the Vintage Master mare Thatsoveryverynice, Better Is Nice is trained by Tony Alagna and owned by Alagna Racing LLC., Pryde Stables Inc. and Birnam Wood Farms. Alagna also bred Better Is Nice with Marvin Katz, and the colt now has a record of 7-1-2 from ten starts to go with earnings of $503,120. He paid $13.40 to win as a 5-1 shot.

Coming off a 32-1 upset in the Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final last Friday, the bettors were on to Storm Shadow (Bob McClure) in the second elim, and he delivered as the 5-2 favorite in 1:52. McClure showed speed with Storm Shadow but yielded to sit in the pocket behind Boston Rocks (Tim Tetrick) nearing the 27 second opening quarter. Boston Rocks stayed in charge to the half in 57 seconds and the three-quarters in 1:25 1/5, and although he opened up a gap on Storm Shadow on the final bend, Boston Rocks weakened in mid-stretch and was passed by Storm Shadow on the outside and Captain Luke (A. McCarthy) in the passing lane. Storm Shadow and Captain Luke battled down to the wire, but Storm Shadow held sway gamely and scored by a head. Captain Luke was a solid second, followed by Boston Rocks and Nijinsky (Dunn).

"I've got nothing but good things to say. He's nice to drive, good-gaited, and he's handy," remarked McClure. "Last week he kind of fell into a nice trip, but tonight he raced better than them and I was happy with him.

"He got a little bit sideways down the lane and it kind of cost him a little bit. I think he waits on them a little bit, but I'd say he's as good as he's been all year right now."

Dr. Ian Moore trains Storm Shadow, a Bettor's Delight colt bred by Tar Hills Stud, for owners R G McGroup Ltd., Hockey Hall of Famer Serge Savard, Mac Nichol and Bolton Farms LLC. He has four wins, a second and a pair of thirds from ten tries, has pocketed $223,560 and returned $7.40 to win.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Captain Albano (Todd McCarthy) won his sixth straight race in the last elimination, stopping the clock in 1:50 4/5. After getting away third while Magnifico Hanover (Brian Sears) motored to the front in a 26 2/5 quarter, McCarthy wheeled Captain Albano off the pylons in the backstretch, advanced, and wrestled control away from Magnifico Hanover just after the 55 4/5 half. Once he was on top, Captain Albano got separation on the others en route to the 1:24 three-quarters, and he never had an anxious moment to the wire as he defeated a closing-well Legendary Hanover (James MacDonald) by a wrapped-up 3 1/2 lengths. Nuclear (Andy Miller) made the final with a third-place result, as did Noblesville (Wrenn Jr.) as he was the fourth-place finisher from the eliminations with the highest earnings.

The Noel Daley-trained Captain Albano, a Captaintreacherous colt bred by Fred Hertrich III, is owned by Patricia Stable, L A Express & Sjoblom Inc. and Michael Dolan. A $150,000 Standardbred Horse Sale purchase, Captain Albano made his seventh trip to the winner's circle from eight attempts, has now put away $288,180 and paid $2.80 to win as the 2-5 favorite.

"I just asked Todd if he had something left, and he said he did it with his ears pricked," Daley offered. "Yeah, he's a very nice horse and he's gotten lucky with a bunch of nice trips lately."

Posts for the Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt Pace final will be drawn tomorrow evening prior to the start of the program at Harrah's Hoosier Park.