Captain Albano ends Newsroom’s streak in Bluegrass

LEXINGTON, Ky.— Pennsylvania Sires Stakes harness racing champion Captain Albano (Captaintreacherous) waited to make his attack on even-money favorite Newsroom and mowed him down off a fast clip to end his unbeaten streak with a 1:49.2 win in the $87,000 Arlene Siegel Memorial, part of the $348,000 Bluegrass 2-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace, on Friday afternoon (Sept. 29) at The Red Mile.

Silken Sweet blasted from post 9 for the front but promptly yielded when Captain Albano, tracked by Newsroom, tipped outside. Captain Albano took the lead and then opted to let Newsroom cut the breeze by a :28.1 first quarter. Newsroom took initiative through the middle half to rip to the next station in :55.2 and then to three-quarters in 1:22.4 all while Todd McCarthy kept a firm grip of Captain Albano in the pocket. Captain Albano swelled from the slipstream and charged home once released to pass Newsroom in the final eighth and kick three-quarter lengths in front at the beam. Remember The Alamo closed for third and Lou Vuitton finished fourth.

“He’s a very nice horse; a very casual horse,” said trainer Noel Daley, who registered his third win of the day when winning with Captain Albano. “The only time he got beat he had come off of sickness there. Now we’ve been lucky enough to have three really nice trips, like that’s a good horse that whacked it out for us today. And the last two starts in PA we had another horse whack them out for us, but he’s getting the job done.”

Captain Albano has now won five times from six starts, finishing no worse than second in all outings, and padded his bankroll to $239,680 for owners Patricia Stable, L A Express & Sjoblom Inc. and Michael Dolan. He paid $5.48 to win.

CAPTAIN ALBANO REPLAY

Kentucky Sires Stakes champion Better Is Nice (Bettor’s Wish) clenched victory in the first Bluegrass split for the boys with a 1:51 mile.

Away fourth through a :28.1 first quarter, Better Is Nice rushed towards the lead as Total Stranger coasted to a :57 half. Once on the point, Better Is Nice forced Boston Rocks to plug first over as he hastened the tempo to three-quarters in 1:24.1. Boston Rocks climbed forward into the lane and upped his pressure on Better Is Nice, of which the Tony Alagna-trained colt withstood the challenge and persevered to a neck win. Total Stranger held third and Dancin Champion took fourth.

“[Boston Rocks] went a pretty good trip there first over. He got to [me], but my colt did his job; he held him off there,” winning driver Andy McCarthy said. “He’s so fun to drive. He’s crazy fast – ideally, I’d rather not put him on the front all the time, but if they’re going to go slow I’ve got to get him up there. He’s just got crazy speed.”

Winning his sixth race from eight starts, Better Is Nice – the New Jersey and Kentucky Sires Stakes champion – has now earned $482,100 for owners Alagna Racing LLC, Pryde Stalbes Inc. and Birnam Wood Farms. He paid $2.84 to win.

BETTER IS NICE REPLAY

With a furious shuffle for control ahead of him, Magnifico Hanover (Captaintreacherous) took his time and fired down the lane to win as the 6-5 favorite in the second Bluegrass division with a 1:51 mile.

Arson slid to the lead by a :27.3 quarter before yielding command to Courtship, who then yielded command to Magnifico Hanover before he yielded command to Ivy Park up the backstretch, as he tried to clear the lead while Downbythedanceclub swooped three wide.

Through the chase, Magnifico Hanover found himself in third by a :54.4 half and Downbythedanceclub motored on the lead through the far turn. Ivy Park crept out of the pocket with Magnifico Hanover looming by three-quarters in 1:22.4 and Magnifico Hanover darted to the lead in the straightaway. Courtship found a seam at the pylons to give chase in second, beaten a length, with Number Cruncher closing down the center for third and Alritealritealrite wider in fourth.

“He’s been a nice colt from day one – I got an opportunity to drive him at Pocono in his first start and I was real impressed; real happy with him,” winning driver Brian Sears said. “He’s shown a lot of ability.”

MAGNIFICO HANOVER REPLAY

Cote Keim owns and trains Magnifico Hanover, as the gelding now sports three wins from four starts and $72,125 earned. He paid $4.76 to win.

Cupid Shuffle (Sweet Lou) wrapped the Friday action with a 1:50.4 victory from off the pace as the 5/2 favorite.

Sweet Beach Life shot to the lead towards a :27.1 first quarter with Swaggy Cal sitting antsy in the pocket and soon making a move for the lead. By the half in :55.1, Swaggy Cal took over control while Cupid Shuffle moved out of fifth uncovered to march towards the leader. Swaggy Cal clicked three-quarters in 1:22.4 before tiring in the lane as Cupid Shuffle hit his best stride. Cupid Shuffle powered clear in the lane to post a 1-1/4-length win over fast-closing Steely Knife in second with Rock The Captain N third and Seasideescape fourth.

Brett Pelling trains Cupid Shuffle, a gelding competing for owners Daniel Lagace, Edwin Buhler, Robert Van Ostrand and Ray Lagace. David Miller steered him to his second win from eight tries, which pushed his earnings to $66,616. He paid $7.34 to win.

CUPID SHUFFLE REPLAY

The lone division of the Arlene Siegel Memorial was sponsored by Jules Siegel and Fashion Farms. The other three divisions of the $348,000 Bluegrass 2-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace were named “The Stay Hungry” and sponsored by the Stay Hungry Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farms.

Live racing resumes Saturday (Sept. 30) at The Red Mile with 11 total Bluegrass events on the 13-race card starting at 1 p.m. (EDT). Included are three divisions for the $219,000 Captaintreacherous Bluegrass Stakes, for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings; three divisions for the $234,000 Greenshoe Bluegrass Stakes, for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings; three divisions of the $234,000 King Of The North Bluegrass Stakes, for 3-year-old trotting fillies; and two divisions of the $159,000 Papi Rob Hanover Bluegrass Stakes, for 3-year-old pacing fillies.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile