After recording wins this year in the Little Brown Jug, Adios, Hempt Memorial and Matron, Captain Albano made his career farewell a winning one on Wednesday, Nov. 27 as he checked off another marquee event in the $372,167 Progress Pace at Dover Downs.

Coming off a win in the elimination, Todd McCarthy and the Noel Daley student lined up in post six in the field of eight. Captain Luke (Scott Zeron) took command to the quarter in :25.1, followed by Nijinsky (Louis-Philippe Roy) in second with Captain Albano caught on the outside in third. En route to the half, Captain Albano secured his place on the lead and he dictated the tempo with a half in :54 and third panel in 1:21.4. Using a :27.2 last quarter, Captain Albano set himself on cruise control to win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:49.1. Nijinsky finished second with Captain Luke third.

Captain Albano earned $445,680 as a freshman and he has since tripled that number in his sophomore campaign. In 18 starts this year, he has posted a record of 12-1-3 with $1,536,276 leading to a career record of 19-3-3 and $1,981,956 earned in 27 starts. Patricia Stable, L A Express Stable, Sjoblom Racing and Michael Dolan co-own the three-year-old son of Captaintreacherous out of the American Ideal mare Angelou. 

Following his Progress Pace victory, Captain Albano will be retired and stand at Blue Chip Farms for the 2025 breeding season.

He paid $3.40 to win as the favourite.

Little Miss Peyton completes DSBF sweep

Donna Messick's homebred Little Miss Peyton scored her eighth consecutive win and second Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund series championship with a 1:55 win in the $152,778 Ramona Hubbard Memorial, for two-year-old pacing fillies, held Wednesday at Dover.

In line to Corey Callahan, the Papa Ray-Armbro Cashmere filly waited for stablemate Bella Artiste (Jim Morand) to clear from post seven at the end of a :27.1 first quarter before making her move to the front. Once in control, Little Miss Peyton rated middle splits of :57 and 1:25.3, turned aside a first-over challenge from Mornin Merle (Pat Berry) and evaded Bella Artiste by 1-1/2 lengths, giving trainer Les Givens a sweep of the exacta. Tilted Crown (Russell Foster) saved third after saving ground behind the front flight.

Little Miss Peyton, now an eight-time winner from 10 starts with $231,808 in the bank, paid $2.40 to win as the 1-5 favourite.

In the $27,778 DSBF consolation for rookie pacing fillies, One Hot Shark and driver Jason Green sustained a mid-race brush from fifth to overpower 1-5 favourite Im Won Last Wiser and win by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:57. James Stuart owns and trains the Classic Card Shark-Fire One Up filly.

The $34,722 Mares Open Handicap Pace was won by Pollack Racing's Elektra A in 1:51.4 after the Jeff Cullipher student benefitted from a pocket trip. The win was one of six on the 15-race card for driver Tim Tetrick.

(Standardbred Canada with files from DSBF and Bally's Dover)