Captain Albano and Direction gave driver Todd McCarthy a double in the Matrons for 3-year-old pacers on Thursday night's program at Bally's Dover.
After setting a contested pace and ending up third in the Breeders Crown final, Captain Albano rebounded with a 1:48 4/5 tally in the $185,500 race for colts and gelding, which was named the Hap Hansen Memorial.
It looked like a two-horse battle on paper between Captain Albano and Breeders Crown champion Mirage Hanover (Dexter Dunn), and it played out that way on the track, too, as they lined up 1-2 on the first turn. Captain Albano cut the quarter in 27 seconds, but rather than stay behind him, Dunn elected to move Mirage Hanover to the outside. McCarthy was willing to let Mirage Hanover go, but not until he left him on the outside most of a 26 4/5 second quarter.
After that 53 4/5 half, Mirage Hanover was clear through three-quarters in 1:21 2/5, but McCarthy wheeled Captain Albano back off the pylons halfway through the final bend. Mirage Hanover turned for home first and was game through the drive, but Captain Albano was able to get by him en route to a half-length triumph. Huntingforchrome (Matt Kakaley), Captain Luke (Scott Zeron) and Gem Quality (Tim Tetrick) were third through fifth.
"I was content to cut it, and when Mirage Hanover moved back to the front, I figured the only way I could beat him is if I stretched him out and made him do a little bit. That horse has finished the year so strong," McCarthy offered post-race. "It just kind of panned out for us. We had the trip and we got fresh air at the top of the stretch. Full credit to (trainer) Noel (Daley) and the job he's done with this horse all year. He's just been an absolute pleasure and a lot of fun to drive."
A Captaintreacherous colt bred by Fred Hertrich III and his All American Harnessbreds, Captain Albano is owned by Patricia Stable, L. A. Express Stable LLC., Sjoblom Racing Inc. and Michael Dolan and is trained by Noel Daley. Captain Albano has 17 wins from 25 career starts, has banked $1,412,773 and paid $4.60 to win as the second choice.
"It was nice to see him get the trip tonight. He sort of got cooked there in the Breeders Crown final," Daley stated. "Basically any time he's been beaten, there's been an excuse for him. He's a very honest horse and a very good horse.
"He'll be here in the Progress, and then he's going to Blue Chip (Farms). He'll be done. He's been syndicated, so one or two more starts depending on whether they have eliminations for the Progress or not."
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Direction led a 1-2 finish for trainer Brett Pelling in the $116,500 filly flight.
McCarthy left with Direction, and rather than accept a pocket behind Tarrific (Jason Bartlett), who launched to the front from the eight-hole, he squeezed to the outside on the first turn and wrestled the top spot away from Tarrific beyond the 26 4/5 quarter. My Girl EJ (Dexter Dunn), the Breeders Crown champion, then came to call to Direction's outside, and McCarthy and Direction relented to sit in the two-hole behind My Girl EJ coming to the 54 2/5 half.
Passing that half-mile station, Rocket Deo (Andy McCarthy), the other half of the Pelling duo, rolled first-up out of the fourth spot, and she made steady progress on the rim to get side-by-side with My Girl EJ at the 1:22 3/5 three-quarters. Those two continued to trade blows around the far turn, and then the passing lane became available in the stretch for Direction, which made it a three-horse race to the wire.
Three trio of the fillies were game to the end, but Direction was able to out-foot her two foes to grab top honors by a neck in 1:50 2/5. Rocket Deo got second from My Girl EJ, while Tarrific and Caviart Belle (David Miller) rounded out the top five.
"I think she's pretty good-gaited, so I was confident that she'd get around here comfortably. We had to do a little bit to sort of get the spot that I wanted," McCarthy offered after the victory. "My Girl EJ, she's been so good all year that I just wanted to make her have to do a little bit to get around me there. It worked out in the end.
"She can cut a mile. She's won on front before, and she's done it pretty well. It was one of those situations tonight where if we got left alone in front I would have been happy to be there as well."
Pelling trains Direction, a daughter of Always B Miki who was bred by Diamond Creek Farm and is owned by their racing operation. Direction has won 12 of her 20 career starts and has earned $570,221. She returned $12.00 to win as a 5-1 offering.