Meadowlands: Captain Albano back for next bout in third leg of Graduate

A lot of thought went into bringing Captain Albano, last year's champion 3-year-old, back to the races this year and just where to begin. For trainer Noel Daley, three consecutive weeks of qualifying got the screws tightened a bit for Captain Albano but still there was concern about making a first start.

"We got invited to the race at Chester (Joe Auger Memorial), and we could have gone to the Battle of Lake Erie," said Daley of the potential first starts. "I just didn't think they would be best for him, so we waited for the Graduate."

The decision was a solid one and Captain Albano made his long-anticipated debut on June 13, facing a field of more-seasoned horses.

"I wanted to win the race, but I didn't want to overdo it," said Daley, mindful of the competition as well as the potential for a quicker pace that might not have been welcomed at first asking.

What Captain Albano accomplished in that first trip competitively was a 1:49 2/5 victory where he worked out a near-perfect trip and sprinted home in 26 1/5 while looking sharp in the process.

"He was always a great-looking horse," said Daley. "This year he's broadened out across his rear end." The added muscle will certainly go a long way this year for a horse that needs to be tougher with 4-year-olds first and then against older horses later.

Captain Albano drew post 10 in a field of 12 in Saturday's third round of the Graduate (race nine) at the Meadowlands, and that will be a bit more challenging for the son of Captaintreacherous, but Daley is less concerned about the second start and more about the seasoned foes.

"Nijinsky (post five) is a very good horse and he proved that last year," said Daley. "He's had a few more starts than my guy and has looked pretty good."

Indeed, Nijinsky, last year's North America Cup winner, has prepped at Woodbine Mohawk Park with some solid efforts, including a win in the opening round of the Graduate, a race strictly for 4-year-olds, on May 31. Nijinsky, a son of Bettor's Delight, made a couple of moves and was dominant, pacing to a 1:48 3/5 mile for his first win in 2025.

Last Saturday (June 14), Nijinsky was in with older foes in the Mohawk Gold Cup and never got the room he was looking for, chasing Brue Hanover to the wire while finishing second.

Though the outside draw was not appreciated by Daley, he doesn't believe it will prevent Captain Albano from winning this week. "I still think he's the best horse in there," said Daley. "And Todd (driver McCarthy) can be more aggressive with him with the race under his belt."

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While Captain Albano will start from the outside of the starting gate, Daley has another in the field with Chain Gang (post 11) making his second start for the stable after shipping in from Ontario.

"They (Nick Gallucci) called me up and asked me if I'd take him," said Daley. "I said under just one condition; that I'm not going to keep him."

A few years back Daley had a similar opportunity with world-record setting Bulldog Hanover, and it worked out quite well.

Thus far, Chain Gang has not shown the capacity to pace in 1:45 but did impress Daley with a fifth-place finish in the Graduate on June 13. "They told me he was very fast if you just use him one time and he showed that," said Daley.

Chain Gang, a 4-year-old by Bettor's Delight, will have Andrew McCarthy in the bike again on Saturday.

The Graduate division could find Calicojack Hanover (post three) in a good spot. The Luc Blais trainee has already earned more as a 4-year-old than he did throughout his sophomore campaign. Calicojack Hanover overcame post 10 in his Graduate leg at the Meadowlands on June 13 and was a respectable second behind Captain Albano. Prior to that he was second behind Nijinsky in the first round and captured both his elimination and the final of the Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup at Flamboro Downs.

Trainer Andrew Harris will send out a pair in Captain Luke (post two) and Funtime Bayama (post four). Captain Luke has a leg victory taken at Woodbine Mohawk Park on May 31 and was third in the Meadowlands division to Captain Albano. Funtime Bayama has yet to find firm footing this year, racing overland in both Graduate legs and coming up short.

Some equipment changes were made by trainer Brett Pelling to Sabonis, who made his first start for new ownership in the Graduate on June 13 but didn't fire in the stretch. Sabonis drew post seven. Pelling also sends out Arbitrage Hanover (post eight), a runner-up in the first leg of the series at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Arbitrage Hanover was a fast-closing seventh in the second leg.

Daley will also send the unbeaten sophomore Smooth Dream (post one) in the $48,000 New Jersey Standardbred Development Fund final for 3-year-old male pacers on Saturday night (race three). "He came to me ready and I haven't changed a thing," said Daley, not wishing to take credit for a horse he didn't train as a 2-year-old.

"There was some talk about supplementing him to the Messenger (Yonkers) or the Meadowlands Pace," said Daley. "I think if we're going to supplement him, we're going to have to pick our spots."

Daley suggested the Adios could be a spot for Smooth Dream, a son of Cattlewash that will be a very short-odds favorite on Saturday.

The 14-race Meadowlands Saturday card also includes a NJSDF final for pacing fillies and a Graduate division for trotters. Post time is 6:20 P.M. (EDT).