stakes Recap

Captain Albano goes out a winner in Progress

November 27, 2024 by James Witherite, editor, Hoof Beats magazine

Little Brown Jug and Matron champion Captain Albano crossed the million-dollar threshold of his sophomore campaign with a decisive 1:49.1 score over Pepsi North America Cup winner Nijinsky in the $267,960 Progress Pace final, for 3-year-old male pacers, on Wednesday (Nov. 27) at Bally’s Dover.

Captain Albano, widest of three leavers at race’s outset, was rated in the two-path by driver Todd McCarthy as Captain Luke (driven by Scott Zeron) drilled a :25.1 first-quarter sprint with Nijinsky (Louis-Philippe Roy) in the pocket. Captain Albano pushed to the fore with a circuit to go and controlled middle splits of :54 and 1:21.4. After shrugging off a first-over challenge from Breeders Crown winner Mirage Hanover (Dexter Dunn), who advanced from fourth to offer mild pressure upon entering the far turn, Captain Albano sprinted away from the field at the eighth pole and won comfortably by 2-1/4 lengths.

Nijinsky rallied up the open stretch to nab Captain Luke for second.

Noel Daley trains Captain Albano, who concludes his racing career with $1,564,253 earned from 19 wins, three second-place finishes and three third-place finishes in 27 starts for Patricia Stable, L.A. Express Stable, Sjoblom Racing and Michael Dolan. The Captaintreacherous-Angelou colt will now embark on his breeding career at Blue Chip Farms, in New York.

Sent off the 3-5 favorite, Captain Albano paid $3.40 to win.

Captain Albano dominates the Progress Pace elimination

November 21, 2024by Dover Downs Publicity

Captain Albano fought through the wind and cold to capture the Progress Pace elimination at Bally’s Dover on Thursday (Nov. 21) night. Eleven of the top three-year-old colt and gelding pacers squared off.

Captain Albano holds off Bettor Is Nice and wins the Progress pace elimination. Fotowon photo.

Calicojack Hanover, Better Is Nice and Captain Albano all left in unison approaching the quarter pole. Captain Albano was able to wrestle for the early lead but was parked to the opening quarter in :27 seconds flat.

Nijinsky, who paid $25,000 to supplement in Progress Pace, was parked the entire mile as was It’s Saturday Night. Captain Albano was fierce and would not give up the lead passing the half in :54, a :27 flat throw down. Captain Albano steamrolled to the three-quarters in 1:22, a :28 flat quarter.

Nijinsky and It’s Saturday Night began to get leg weary, approaching the three-quarter pole. Mirage Hanover, Captain Luke and Nuclear circled three-wide from the back of the pack in pursuit of Captain Albano. In the lane, Better Is Nice and Calicojack Hanover skimmed along the pylons, but their attempts were in vain.

The even odds betting favorite, Captain Albano ( Captaintreacherous) won by a half-length in 1:48.4. He paid an even $4.00 for the win. Noel Dailey trained and Todd McCarthy drove. Better Is Nice finished second and Calicojack Hanover was third.

The top eight in the official order of finish return for the $267,960 Progress Pace Final to be contested on Wednesday (Nov. 27).

Why Not Now sustains first-over strike in Progress

November 22, 2023

Why Not Now sustained a first-over push through the final half of a 1:48.2 mile to reel in El Rey and evade Moment Is Here in winning the $260,000 Progress Pace, for 3-year-old colts and geldings, on Wednesday (Nov. 22) at Bally’s Dover.

Andy McCarthy sat patiently with Why Not Now while El Rey (driven by Dexter Dunn) was pushed by Moment Is Here (Tim Tetrick) through the first turn. El Rey was strung out by even-money favorite Cannibal (Yannick Gingras) as well while Moment Is Here eased into third at the end of a :25.4 first quarter.

With a circuit to go, Ervin Hanover (Joe Bongiorno) angled off the pegs from seventh to flush an outer flow from midfield, ultimately prompting Why Not Now to begin his first-over ascent at the :53.3 half-mile point.

Why Not Now gained in earnest up the backstretch, working into a joint second past three-quarters in 1:20.1 and taking aim on El Rey turning for home. The son of Always A Virgin-Star Of The Show ground into the lead at the sixteenth pole and evaded the three-wide charge of Moment Is Here by a length. El Rey was a beaten third.

Trainer Dylan Davis co-owns Why Not Now, a nine-time winner from 27 career starts with $706,880 in the bank, with Howard Taylor and Jeffrey Billings. As the 5-2 second choice, Why Not Now returned $7.80 to win.

Odds-on favorites prevail in Progress elims

November 16, 2023

Stockade Seelster ($3.80) and Cannibal ($3.20) both won — albeit narrowly — as the odds-on favorites in their respective $35,000 eliminations of the Progress Pace, for 3-year-old colts and geldings, on Thursday (Nov. 16) at Bally’s Dover.

Stockade Seelster proved resolute in the first Progress elimination, surviving a backstretch blitz from Bugaboo Lou before outlasting a two-pronged stretch challenge to win in 1:50.4.

David Miller pushed Stockade Seelster forward to clear El Rey (driven by Dexter Dunn) midway on the first turn, and the State Treasurer-Soiree Seelster colt controlled early fractions of :27.2 and :55.2 before Bugaboo Lou (Tim Tetrick) emerged from fifth and marched first-over up the backstretch to engage Stockade Seelster on the far turn.

Bugaboo Lou got to within a half length of Stockade Seelster midway on the far turn, but the biggest threats came in the final sixteenth when El Rey lunged up the open stretch and Ervin Hanover (Yannick Gingras) hooked three-wide around the stalled Bugaboo Lou. Stockade Seelster survived the late onslaught by a diminishing nose over El Rey and Ervin Hanover, second and third, respectively. Bugaboo Lou, beaten 1-1/2 lengths, finished fourth.

Dr. Ian Moore trains Stockade Seelster, a 15-time winner with $1,246,488 in career earnings, for Sally and Paul MacDonald.

In the second elimination, Cannibal and Yannick Gingras yielded to Why Not Now (Andy McCarthy) through a :26.1 first quarter before pulling the pocket to take charge with a lap to go. The Sweet Lou-No More Losses colt was unchallenged through middle splits of :55.1 and 1:22.4 before Why Not Now reemerged up the open stretch. Cannibal, driven out off the home turn, prevailed by a nose over Why Not Now in 1:51. Hungry Angel Boy (Scott Zeron) was third, 1-3/4 lengths behind; Moment Is Here (Tetrick) overcame stalled cover to finish fourth.

Nancy Takter trains Cannibal, a 15-time winner who has earned over $764,240, for Diamond Creek Racing.

The top four finishers from each elimination will meet in the $260,000 Progress Pace final, scheduled for next Wednesday (Nov. 22).

Beach Glass stalks, strikes in Progress

November 23, 2022, by James Witherite, assistant editor, Hoof Beats

The $250,000 Progress Pace, held Wednesday (Nov. 23) at Bally’s Dover, shaped up to be a “showdown at the speedway” between arch rivals Pebble Beach and Beach Glass. And while Pebble Beach won the battle for the early lead, blistering fractions took their toll and Beach Glass emerged victorious in the final 150 yards of the event for 3-year-old pacers.

Beach Glass and Yannick Gingras threw down the gauntlet early from post seven, forcing Pebble Beach (driven by Todd McCarthy) through a vicious :25.1 first quarter before easing into the pocket. Pebble Beach kept the pace up through middle splits of :52.4 and 1:20.3, but the pace took its toll on the 17-time winner shortly after he cornered for home. Beach Glass, who edged out of the pocket a quarter mile from home, lifted to the lead with 150 yards to go, and was driven clear to win by two lengths in 1:48.4.

Captain Cowboy (Corey Callahan) emerged out of traffic late to just collar the ground-saving Fourever Boy (Dexter Dunn) for second. Pebble Beach, sent the 4-5 favorite, faded to fifth.

By way of his 12th win from 18 career starts, Beach Glass increased his earnings to $1,100,544 for trainer Brent MacGrath and owner-breeder Schooner II Stable. The son of Somebeachsomewhere paid $4.60 to win as the 6-5 second choice.

Pebble Beach, Beach Glass dominate in Progress elims

November 17, 2022, by James Witherite, assistant editor, Hoof Beats

The Nov. 23 final of the Progress Pace could very well shape up to be a reprise of the Pepsi North America Cup. Not only did five of the 10 Cup starters qualify for the Progress in Thursday’s (Nov. 17) $35,000 eliminations at Bally’s Dover, but the elimination winners — Pebble Beach and Beach Glass — paved the way for a showdown at the speedway with convincing scores.

Pebble Beach extended his current win streak to five with a stout 1:49.3 win in the second Progress elimination, working to the lead at the bell and evading the closest of his five rivals by a handy 2-1/4 lengths. Todd McCarthy eased the Downbytheseaside colt into the pocket after Birthday (driven by David Miller) pushed to the lead through a :26.3 quarter, but the earner of over $1.7 million surged to the fore shortly thereafter. Birthday yielded for a pocket ride through middle splits of :55 and 1:22.1, but began to gap into the far turn after being headed for second by Mad Max Hanover (Tim Tetrick), who commenced a first-over bid out of fourth on the backstretch.

Mad Max Hanover offered mild pressure to the leader to force the :27.1 third split, but leveled off as Pebble Beach accelerated clear at will. The North America Cup and Breeders Crown champion coasted home with plenty in reserve while a resurgent Mad Max Hanover re-rallied to nab Birthday for second. Energetic Hanover (Dexter Dunn), who failed to fire off the home turn after being forced wide around stalled cover, remained even to finish fourth.

Noel Daley trains 17-time winner Pebble Beach, who paid $2.60 to win, for the Patricia Stable, Joe Sbrocco, Country Club Acres, and LAExpressFoderaDeoVolente.

Making his first start back after flipping his palate on Oct. 1 at the Red Mile — and missing the Breeders Crown as a result — Meadowlands Pace winner Beach Glass landed right back in the win column in the first elimination, prevailing by a measured 2-3/4 lengths in 1:50 while in line to Yannick Gingras. The son of Somebeachsomewhere worked to clear Captain Cowboy (Tim Tetrick) midway around the first turn and traveled uncontested from that point on, managing splits of :26.3, :55.1 and 1:22.2. With an eighth of a mile to go, Captain Cowboy broke stride from the pocket, forcing Fourever Boy (Dunn) to check and shoving I Did It Myway (Andy McCarthy) three-wide off the home turn. As a result, Beach Glass was six lengths in front in upper stretch, but Gingras geared the Brent MacGrath trainee down in the final yards of his 11th victory in 17 career starts.

Fourever Boy stayed on well for second, I Did It Myway was a one-paced third, and Captain Cowboy reset in time to preserve fourth place.

Beach Glass, who has banked $985,544, is owned and was bred by the Schooner II Stable of Nova Scotia. He paid $3.20 to win.

The aforementioned top four finishers from each elimination will meet in the $250,000 final, slated as race 12 on Wednesday (Nov. 23). The barrier draw is as follows:

1. Fourever Boy
2. Mad Max Hanover
3. Pebble Beach
4. Captain Cowboy
5. I Did It Myway
6. Energetic Hanover
7. Beach Glass
8. Birthday

Fifth-place finishers Ario Hanover and Vicious have been declared also-eligibles.

Rockyroad Hanover reaches in Progress Pace

Taking advantage of a garden trip behind a pressured pace, Rockyroad Hanover ($11.00) surged up the open stretch to capture Wednesday’s (Nov. 24) $310,000 Progress Pace, for 3-year-old colts and geldings, at Dover Downs.

Dexter Dunn pushed forward with the son of Captaintreacherous and Romantic Moment, working three-wide through the entire first turn to clear Chase H Hanover and Abuckabett Hanover at the end of a :26.1 first quarter.

Rockyroad Hanover strung 3-2 favorite Charlie May out through the third furlong before yielding for the pocket to draft behind middle splits of :54.1 and 1:21.3.

While Charlie May was busy fending off sustained pressure from the first-over Abuckabett Hanover through the far turn, Rockyroad Hanover was poised to pounce up the inside turning for home.

Rockyroad Hanover struck as expected in the final sixteenth, reaching the winning post in 1:49.3 and edging his Tony Alagna stablemate Abuckabett Hanover by a half-length. Charlie May, after being engulfed in deep stretch, narrowly held third over Lou’s Pearlman.

Riverview Racing, Brad Grant, Kenneth Jacobs, and the Plouffe Head and VJ Stable share ownership of Rockyroad Hanover, whose sixth career win lifted his lifetime earnings to $595,134.

Lou’s Pearlman captures Progress Pace elimination

November 18, 2021, by Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager

Lou’s Pearlman won Wednesday’s $35,000 single elimination of the Progress Pace, overtaking Abuckabett Hanover in the stretch and holding off fast-closing stablemate Southwind Gendry to score by a neck in 1:49.2 at Dover Downs.

Following Lou’s Pearlman, Southwind Gendry, and Abuckabett Hanover across the line to be in the top eight and advance to the $310,000 final on Nov. 24 were, in order, Charlie May, Rockyroad Hanover, Chase H Hanover, Virgo, and Hellabalou.

The top seven finishers were separated by two lengths.

Hellabalou led the field to an opening quarter in :26.3 before Lou’s Pearlman and Abuckabett Hanover exchanged the lead prior to a :53.4 half. Abuckabett Hanover remained on top up the backstretch but faced sustained pressure from Charlie May, who started from post 10 in the second tier, as they hit three-quarters in 1:20.4.

In the stretch, Lou’s Pearlman scooted through on the inside to get by Abuckabett Hanover and fend off Southwind Gendry, who closed quickest of all with a :27.4 final quarter as he rallied from eighth.

Lou’s Pearlman was driven by Yannick Gingras for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Elizabeth Novak, and Howard Taylor. The homebred son of Sweet Lou-Lucy’s Pearl has won eight of 18 races this year and $568,719. For his career, he has 13 victories in 29 starts and $768,013.

Sent off as the 3-2 favorite, Lou’s Pearlman paid $5.00 to win.

Fortify upsets in Progress Pace

Nancy Takter trainee Fortify ($22.40) took the second-over route to a 10-1 upset over stablemate No Lou Zing in the 2020 season’s final Grand Circuit stop for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings, the $325,000 Progress Pace, on Wednesday night (Nov. 25) at Dover Downs.

Favorite No Lou Zing and driver Dexter Dunn were embroiled in a :25.2 first-quarter battle with Tattoo Artist (Yannick Gingras) and Captain Kirk (Andy McCarthy), prompting Tim Tetrick to ease Fortify into midfield to stalk comfortably.

No Lou Zing worked hard to clear for control with a circuit to go, and Tetrick angled Fortify into second-over cover behind the advancing Cattlewash (David Miller) nearing a :53 half. Fortify rode that live outer flow into striking range up the far side, watching Cattlewash push No Lou Zing to three-quarters in 1:20.2 before swinging three-wide on the final turn.

While No Lou Zing was able to shrug off the challenge of Cattlewash and open up a three-length lead in upper stretch, the punishing pace ultimately took its toll. Fortify charged down the center of the track to collar his stablemate by a half-length in 1:48.2, equaling Wiggle It Jiggleit’s stakes record set in 2015. Catch The Fire (Mike Wilder) split rivals in deep stretch to finish third, another 2-3/4 lengths behind.

“I think he has proven that he belongs,” said trainer Nancy Takter. “He raced really well in the Kentucky Sire Stakes. He got a little bit sick during the Grand Circuit; he wasn’t 100 percent perfect at The Red Mile, but still performed OK. He’s definitely a nice colt and he does belong, and I think he’ll show that next year, too.

“Both colts raced really well. No Lou Zing obviously got stung from the seven-hole, but he raced super well. Fortify had to go three-wide but still finished really well — it’s not easy to do on that track. I couldn’t be happier with both horses tonight.”

“It worked out just like I thought it would,” said winning driver Tim Tetrick. “The blueprint worked out perfectly for me; everything went to plan.

“The horse was sharp and they had the speed up front for me to follow. I don’t think I could have gotten a better trip. When I came off David’s back — he didn’t get me as close as I thought — (Fortify) was going forward. I knew it was going to be close, but once I got to (No Lou Zing), I felt like I had him.”

Tetrick, who wore the colors of Fortify’s owner, Diamond Creek Racing, has now won the last three renewals of the Progress after capturing the 2018 edition with This Is The Plan and the 2019 edition with Shake That House. It was Takter’s first victory in Dover Downs’ signature event.

Fortify, a son of Sweet Lou-Can’t Stop Me Now, has now won five of his 23 career races and has amassed $372,447 in purses.

No Lou Zing wins Wednesday’s $35,000 Progress Pace elimination

No Lou Zing won Wednesday’s (Nov. 18) $35,000 Progress Pace elimination for 3-year-old male pacers, defeating Cattlewash by a half-length in 1:49.1 at Dover Downs. Catch The Fire finished third.

The top-eight finishers from the elimination advanced to the $325,000 Progress Pace final Nov. 25 at Dover. Rounding out the field for the final were Fortify, Captain Kirk, Captain Barbossa, Manticore, and Tattoo Artist.

Dexter Dunn drove No Lou Zing, the 8-5 second choice behind 4-5 favorite Cattlewash, for trainer Nancy Takter and owners 3 Brothers Stables, Rojan Stables, and Caviart Farms. The gelding was bred by Concord Stud Farm and Birnam Wood Farms.

No Lou Zing, by Sweet Lou out of Terroronthebeach, has won seven of 15 races and $442,308 this season. He was winless in three starts at 2.

He paid $5.40 to win.

Shake That House upsets in Progress Pace

After working to catch cover up the far side, Shake That House ($20.20) vaulted three-wide off the final turn to collar Captain Crunch in the $335,000 Hap Hansen Progress Pace final for 3-year-old colts and geldings on Wednesday night (Nov. 27) at Dover Downs.

The sophomore son of American Ideal landed in sixth early while 3-5 favorite Captain Crunch (Yannick Gingras) worked to clear American Mercury (Tyler Buter) through a :26 first quarter. As Captain Crunch, who won last week’s elimination heat, sped along through a :53.4 half, Tim Tetrick angled Shake That House third-over — but the pair lost their cover upon reaching the backstretch.

While the first-over Dancin Lou (Andy McCarthy) sustained gradual headway up the far side, the second-over Semi Tough (David Miller) angled back to the pegs upon straightening, forcing Shake That House to close a three-length gap in the outer tier into a 1:21 third split.

Despite the extra work he endured, Shake That House had ample energy to swing three-wide around a stalled Dancin Lou well above the eighth pole and tracked down Captain Crunch to prevail by a widening neck in 1:50.1. U S Captain (Dexter Dunn), who was locked in from mid-division, rallied up the open stretch to take third.

Shake That House, who also won the Max Hempt Memorial at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono in June, eclipsed the $500,000 mark in seasonal earnings with the 10th victory of his career. Chris Oakes trains Shake That House for Crawford Farms Racing, Alan Johnston and the Northfork Racing Stable.

Captain Crunch sets Dover track record in Progress elimination

Captain Crunch ($5.80) rebounded from a break in last week’s Matron Stakes in a big way, pacing the fastest mile in the history of Dover Downs with a 1:47.3 score in Wednesday’s (Nov. 20) $35,000 Hap Hansen Progress Pace elimination.

Captain Crunch and driver Yannick Gingras left from post five to clear U S Captain (Dexter Dunn) on approach to the first turn, and the pair traveled uncontested through splits of :26.4, :54 and 1:21.1. Off the final turn, Gingras chased after the 3-year-old son of Captaintreacherous to edge away from U S Captain, and he responded with a :26.2 final quarter to cap his 1:47.3 mile, two-fifths of a second better than the previous all-age track record held jointly by Heston Blue Chip and Bandolito.

Nancy Johansson trains 12-time winner Captain Crunch for the 3 Brothers Stables, Christina Takter, the Rojan Stables and Caviart Farms.

U S Captain held second, while American Mercury (Tyler Buter) finished third after tracking the top pair throughout.

The other five pacers to advance to next Wednesday’s (Nov. 27) $335,000 Progress final are Dancin Lou, Shake That House, Semi Tough, De Los Cielos Deo and Pyro. Southwind Ozzi, who faltered on the final turn after mounting a mild first-over ascent up the backstretch, was the lone horse from the field of nine to be eliminated after Love Me Some Lou was scratched.