Captain Albano continued his strong string of swan song performances, repelling the challenge of rival Nijinsky to prevail in the single $49,296 Progress Pace elimination on Thursday, Nov. 21 at Bally's Dover.

Sent postward as the even-money choice in the robust field of 11 sophomore pacers, Captain Albano and driver Todd McCarthy watched as Better Is Nice (Andy McCarthy) cleared Calicojack Hanover (Dan Dube) for the early lead, and then pressed on through a :27 opening quarter to clear to the lead around the three-eighths mark. On his back was second choice Nijinsky (Louis-Philippe Roy), and those two tussled on top through a :54 half and 1:22 third station.

Nijinsky was unable to clear and his strides started to shorten around that far turn. With the backfield unable to make up any serious ground, Captain Albano's competition came from the pocket-sitting Better Is Nice and third along the pylons Calicojack Hanover. Better Is Nice popped pocket for a late threat but couldn't collar Captain Albano, who bodyslammed his rivals with a 1:49.4 effort on a cool November evening. Better Is Nice finished a length back in second with Calicojack Hanover not far off the front pair in third. 

"They're always pretty tricky decisions in those full fields, but my guy is so handy out of the gate," stated McCarthy after the victory. "And then after that, I was just trying to see where everyone was going to settle. I pretty much wanted to be the last horse making my way to the front, and it kind of worked out like that."

Noel Daley trains Captain Albano, the top ranked sophomore pacer in North American harness racing, for Patricia Stable of Massapequa, N.Y., L A Express Stable LLC of Lincoln University, Pa., Sjoblom Racing Inc. of Delray Beach and Michael Dolan of Sarasota, Fl. The son of Captaintreacherous-Angelou now sports a summary of 18-3-3 from 25 career starts with $1,795,873 in earnings, and will look to conclude his racing career with a win in next week's final before a spot in the Blue Chip Farms stallion roster awaits him in 2025.

"I just watched him from outside, so I wasn't sure when Andy's horse was coming at him, but Todd said he was trying not to pop the plugs," noted Daley. "He said he just popped them like 50 [yards] out, and he said he went forward again so he was fine. He was just trying not to give him a killer run. They're coming back in six days, so that worked out alright."

"Todd was of two minds whether to let Nijinsky go or not but he was one of the ones to beat so he left him out there."

Captain Albano returned $4.00 to win.

Nijinsky was best of the rest in fourth, followed by Gem Quality, Its Saturday Night, Captain Luke and Mirage Hanover as the eight horses to advance to the $250,000 USD Progress Pace final on Wednesday, Nov. 27. The field has been drawn for the $267,960 USD Progress Pace final, scheduled as the 10th race next Wednesday. The field is as follows: 

2024 Progress Pace Final
Post - Horse - Driver - Trainer
1. Mirage Hanover - Dexter Dunn - Jake Leamon
2. Gem Quality - Tim Tetrick - Chris Ryder
3. Better Is Nice - Andrew McCarthy - Tony Alagna
4. Nijinsky - Louis-Philippe Roy - Anthony Beaton
5. Captain Luke - Corey Callahan - Andrew Harris
6. Captain Albano - Todd McCarthy - Noel Daley
7. Its Saturday Night - Bradley Chisholm - Nifty Norman
8. Calicojack Hanover - Dan Dube - Luc Blais

Primo Maschio records new mark in DSBF final

After being narrowly upended in both preliminary rounds, Forrest Bartlett's Primo Maschio proved much too strong for his seven rivals in the $154,930 Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) championship for two-year-old male pacers, throwing down a career-best 1:53.4 mile.

In line to Trae Porter, Primo Maschio asserted himself from the pole position at race's outset and forced Shore Not Beach (driven by Pat Berry) into the pocket through a :27.3 first quarter. Once in control, Primo Maschio continued unopposed through a :56.1 half before accelerating up the backstretch to extend his lead to 2-1/2 lengths past three-quarters in 1:24. That burst of speed from Primo Maschio was enough to do away with his competition, as the Badlands Hanover-Primadonna gelding soundly defeated Shore Not Beach by four lengths. Won Last Call (Montrell Teague) gave futile chase to the top pair throughout and finished third, 15-3/4 lengths in arrears.

Walter Callahan trains Primo Maschio, who was bred by Let It Ride Stables and Bottom Line Racing and has won nine of 11 career starts and banked $239,643. He paid $4.00 to win as the even-money favourite.

The $110,000 USD DSBF championship for two-year-old fillies, named in memory of longtime Delaware harness racing publicist Marv Bachrad, will go as the fourth of 15 races on the Monday (Nov. 25) program at Bally's Dover. First post is 4:30 p.m. (EST).

(Standardbred Canada / DSBF)