Captain Albano had to work to get to the front, but once he got there, he never relinquished control, winning the $654,795 MGM Borgata Pacing Series final (Grade 2) on Friday, May 8 at MGM Yonkers Raceway over the mile and a quarter distance in 2:21.4 for driver Todd McCarthy and trainer Noel Daley.
Donegal Luther N (Yannick Gingras) hustled out from post three and was able to get around post one starter and favourite Coaches Corner (Jason Bartlett). Meanwhile, McCarthy floated away with Captain Albano and wound up on the rim, remaining in that position past the :28.4 quarter that was cut by Donegal Luther N.
After that station, Captain Albano was still two-wide as Donegal Luther N was fired-up on the front end, but Captain Albano did clear passing the :56.4 half as Gingras was finally able to coax Donegal Luther N into releasing him.
The key to Captain Albano's eventual victory was likely the :29.1 third quarter that Todd McCarthy was able to rate after Captain Albano forged his way to the front, and that left him plenty of steam to deal with a first-over challenge from Coaches Corner as Donegal Luther N began to back away from the pocket.
Captain Albano would get separation on the others going to the 1:53.4 mile marker and kept clear around the final bend. Although both a second-over Huntinthelastdolar (Dexter Dunn) and Coaches Corner made gains in the lane, it wasn't enough as Captain Albano hit the wire a length in front of Huntinthelastdolar. Coaches Corner, Mossdale Ben N (Jim Marohn Jr.) and Redwood Hanover (Tim Tetrick) completed the top five.
"Once Coaches Corner got crossed over there early, I figured if I could just kind of make my way there steady, I'd probably end up on top. It took a little longer than I hoped," Todd McCarthy said about his strategy. "Donegal Luther N was racing a little aggressive early and it just took Yannick a second to get him settled down. Once we straightened in the backstretch, I asked my horse to go on and he paced right around. He definitely showed his guts tonight.
"I managed to get a little breather once I found the top. Once they came, I kind of wanted to step on the gas. I don't like them to get too close to him. He gave me a really good feel down the backstretch and I felt like I still had a lot of horse under me. It's just a real credit to Noel and the team and what they've been able to do with him throughout this series."
The Daley trainee won two preliminary legs of the Borgata and finished no worse than fourth in the other three legs.
"It just shows his class; it just comes down to that," added Todd McCarthy. "He's got that high speed and he's got those guts. He's a well-put together horse and he gets around any-size track. I'm just lucky I'm the one that gets to drive him."
Captain Albano, a five-year-old Captaintreacherous-Angelou stallion bred by Frederick Hertrich of Seaford, Delaware, is owned by Patricia Stables of Massapequa, New York, L A Express Stable of Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, Sjoblom Racing of Delray Beach, Florida and Michael Dolan of Sarasota, Florida. He now boasts a career summary of 29-8-4 from 51 appearances and soared over the $3 million milestone in earnings.
Captain Albano paid $5.24 to win as the 8-5 second choice. He was atop a $45.18 exacta and a $93.12 trifecta.
In the $136,986 consolation, Sweet Beach Life and Matt Kakaley made it to the front early despite starting from the outside post eight, cut fractions of :29.3, :58.1 and 1:27.2, and went on to defeat pocket-sitter Celtic Spirit N (Joe Bongiorno) by a length and three-quarters in 2:21.4. Aye Aye Captain N (Brent Holland) collected third.
Travis Alexander sent out Sweet Beach Life, a five-year-old gelding by Sweet Lou out of Life Is A Beach, for owner A Sweet Beach Life Stable of Pleasant Valley, New York. The 14-time career winner increased his earnings to $823,456.
He returned $9.72 to win and led a $38.94 exacta and a $130.12 trifecta.
Tarapasta looked hopelessly boxed in coming into the homestretch, but Matt Kakaley was able to find a seam at the head of the stretch and the six-year-old Downbytheseaside-Pasta Blue Chip mare kicked into overdrive to capture the $624,658 MGM Ursula McIntyre Series final (Grade 2) at a stunning 25-1.
Tarapasta, trained by Travis Alexander for owner Greg Luther Racing of Blacklick, Ohio, completed the mile and a quarter distance in 2:23, winning by a length over Coastal Babe N, with 1-10 favourite Louies Girl N settling for third.
Kakaley had Tarapasta energized early, leaving strongly ahead of Louies Girl N (Jason Bartlett) on the opening bend. Coastal Babe N (Yannick Gingras) left hard and needed nearly the first quarter before supplanting Tarapasta in a :28.2 opening fraction.
Bartlett wanted no part of a three-hole and he moved Louies Girl N on the second turn, assuming control at the half in :56.4.
After Louies Girl N had the top, she cut three-quarters in 1:25.2 and was put to some pressure when Millwood Bliss N (Dexter Dunn) moved without cover on the backstretch for the final time. Still, Louies Girl N looked to have control of the race past the mile marker in 1:54 and entering the final turn with Coastal Babe N locked along the pylons and Tarapasta sitting third without room.
When Seaside Diva (Scott Zeron) struggled to keep with Millwood Bliss N coming into the stretch, Kakaley seized the opportunity and quickly angled Tarapasta wide. The rest was history as Tarapasta overpowered a struggling Louies Girl N and won going away. Tick A Loch A rallied wide for the fourth spot, with Millwood Bliss N ending up fifth.
Tarapasta entered the final off a pair of wins and three second-place finishes in the preliminary legs of the series.
"Travis has done a superb job with her," said Kakaley. "She’s been super. I've been along for the ride."
The mare bred by Tara Hills Stud of Port Perry, Ont. became a millionaire while winning for the 22nd time in her career spanning 98 races.
Tarapasta returned $52.72 to win and keyed a $169.94 exacta and a $340.78 trifecta.
In the $136,986 McIntyre consolation, favoured Walkin On Sunshine and driver Scott Zeron were up in the final strides for the victory in 2:23.3 for the added distance. A six-year-old by Always A Virgin out of Hatsoff Hanover, Walkin On Sunshine just nailed second choice Bath Bomb.
Zeron had Walkin On Sunshine away quickly from post five and out-sprinted Bath Bomb (Andrew McCarthy) into the opening turn. Following a soft :29.1 opening quarter, Andrew McCarthy moved Bath Bomb to the front. Once in control, Bath Bomb stayed in front through a half in :58.1 and three-quarters in 1:27.3. With Turn The Page N (Ron Cushing) beginning an outer flow at that point, followed by Rocket Deo (Todd McCarthy), Bath Bomb picked up the pace noticeably with a 28-second fourth quarter, reaching the mile in 1:55.3 and making it a virtual two-mare race. Zeron tipped Walkin On Sunshine from the pocket late on the final turn and needed a solid drive to narrow the gap and eventually overtake a determined Bath Bomb. Rocket Deo rallied late for the third spot.
Walkin On Sunshine is trained by Brett Pelling and owned by Maynard Miller and Michael Yoder of Shipshewana, Indiana and Daniel Lehman of Syracuse, Indiana. She won for the 30th time in her racing career and pushed her lifetime earnings above $900,000.
As the favourite, Walkin On Sunshine returned $3.86 to win and keyed a $7.36 exacta and a $41 trifecta.
Charles Oliveira's team victorious in exhibition challenge at Yonkers
Ultimate Fighting Championship star Charles Oliveira has driven at Yonkers Raceway twice and has been victorious on both occasions after he posted a 1:57.1 win with "Bronx Miracle" in the Oliveira vs. Tetrick Team Challenge exhibition race on Friday night.
After defeating Tim Tetrick in a match race back in 2021, Oliveira returned to Yonkers on Friday to captain a team that also included Pat Lachance, Yannick Gingras and Dan Dube against a team with Tetrick, Jordan Stratton, Jason Bartlett and Lauren Tritton.
Oliveira, who was second in a pari-mutuel race at Pocono on Tuesday, got away in the pocket behind Bartlett in this event and then moved to the lead past the :29.4 quarter-mile marker. From there, Oliveira and "Bronx Miracle" kept the lead through the half in 1:00 and three-quarters in 1:28 before they closed in :29.1 to win over Bartlett and Stratton.
"I'm so happy. I don't have the words to explain how happy I am," Oliveira said via translator to the United States Trotting Association's Wendy Ross. "I have to say thank you to everyone. I love horses and I love to be here."
"Any time you can get a champion in the business of harness racing it's special, and [Oliveira] represents himself so well," Tetrick added when interviewed by Ross.
Following the race, donations and cheque presentations were made to charities. The Standardbred Owners Association of New York gave $5,000 USD to Oliveira's Instituto Charles do Bronx in Brazil and the Tunnels to Towers Foundation received $2,500 USD from the American Harness Drivers Club.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)