After enjoying a lighter workload in the weeks since winning the MGM Borgata Pacing Series championship in early May, Captain Albano is ready to get back to serious business this weekend.

Captain Albano is the 3-1 morning-line favourite in the $250,000 USD Battle of Lake Erie on Saturday, May 6 at Northfield Park in Ohio. The two-time Dan Patch Award winner will leave from post three in a field of nine in the Grade 2 invitational for older pacers, with regular driver Todd McCarthy in the sulky for trainer Noel Daley.

The five-year-old son of Captaintreacherous-Angelou prepped for the Battle by winning a qualifier in 1:50.2 (last quarter of :26.1) on May 29 at The Meadowlands. He won the $654,795 Borgata final (Grade 2) May 8 on MGM Yonkers Raceway’s half-mile oval, where he also posted two victories in the event’s five preliminary rounds.

“I gave him a little bit of an easy time after the Borgata because he’d raced six weeks in a row there,” Daley said. “We didn’t let him down completely; he stayed training the whole time, we just eased off. He’s in good spirits and in good shape. If anything, he might have put on a little weight during his time off. Racing six weeks in a row at Yonkers catches up with them a little. I’m happy with where he’s at.”

Captain Albano, who received Dan Patch divisional honours at ages two and three, has three wins and a third in his six races this season, and his $415,734 in earnings lead all male pacers in North America. Last year, the stallion hit the board in 12 of 18 starts, winning seven and banking $828,012 for owners Patricia Stables LLC, L.A. Express Stable LLC, Sjoblom Racing Inc. and Michael Dolan.

He raced into mid-December last year, capping his campaign with a second-place finish in the $342,466 MGM Grand Prix Pacing Series final at Yonkers after winning three preliminary legs.

“He didn’t have too much of a break from last year,” Daley said about Captain Albano, who made his first 2026 start on March 30 in the Borgata. “He’s good on a half, and (the Borgata) is such a good money race, that we had to have him ready for it.

“Now I’m just going to pick my spots with him, and we’ll try to work our way through the year. We’ll go to the big dances when they’re there. (The Battle of Lake Erie) is a great race, it’s $250,000 (USD), no pay-ups, just an invite. He drew okay; (post) three is pretty good. It’s better than anything outside of there. Hopefully, we can just be up close somewhere.”

For his career, Captain Albano has won 29 of 51 races, hit the board another 12 times, and earned $3.23 million. He was poised to retire to the breeding shed after his three-year-old season, but after initial testing and looming deadlines, the connections decided to continue racing.

“When we brought him back at four, I said if we’re going to do four, we should do five,” Daley said. “Then we can retest him and see if he’s good enough to go to stud. But I’m happy to get the two years of racing with him. He’s a great-looking horse and he’s got a good personality to him. He knows he’s a stud, but he’s easy to deal with. And he gets around all size tracks, so that’s a big help.

“He’s just a very cool horse and a pleasure to have around.”

The $250,000 USD purse for the 40th Battle of Lake Erie is the highest in its history. Ken Hanover, who won last year’s $200,000 USD Battle of Lake Erie and captured the $138,889 Joseph Auger Memorial (Grade 3) on May 24 at Harrah’s Philadelphia, is the 7-2 second choice on the morning line in Saturday’s race. He will start from post six with Brett Miller driving for trainer Roland “Polie” Mallar.

The field also includes 2025 Borgata champion Mossdale Ben N, who will leave from post two with Jim Marohn Jr. in the sulky for trainer Peter Tritton and is 4-1. Prince Hal Hanover, who already has two graded stakes victories in four starts this season, is 9-2 and will have Matt Kakaley at the lines for Dr. Ian Moore from post three.

“It’s a good field,” Daley said. “You put the money out there, they’re going to come. We’re all very agreeable there.”

The field for the Battle of Lake Erie is below.

$250,000 USD Battle of Lake Erie (G2)
Horse - Driver - Trainer - Odds
1. Women Layer - Luke Hanners - Virgil Morgan Jr. - 6-1
2. Mossdale Ben N - Jim Marohn Jr. - Peter Tritton - 4-1
3. Captain Albano - Todd McCarthy - Noel Daley - 3-1
4. Helium N - Dan Noble - Christi Noble - 12-1
5. Prince Hal Hanover - Matt Kakaley - Dr. Ian Moore - 9-2
6. Ken Hanover - Brett Miller - Roland Mallar - 7-2
7.  For Once Inmy Life - Jordan Stratton - Cory Stratton - 15-1
8. Bythemissal - Chris Page - Ron Burke - 20-1
9. Huntinthelastdolar - Tyler Smith - Per Engblom - 10-1

Saturday’s card also includes the $100,000 USD Buckeye Distaff, for Ohio-sired pacing mares.

Racing begins at 6 p.m. The Buckeye Distaff is Race 10 (estimated post time of 9:18 p.m.) and the Battle of Lake Erie is Race 12 (10:02 p.m.).

(USTA; photo of Captain Albano winning on May 8)