HEAVY FAVORITE CAPTAIN ALBANO HOLDS ON, WINS $350,000 ADIOS
July 27
The Meadows
Washington, PA
Purse $350,000
Captain Albano, the 1-2 favorite, controlled the fractions for Todd McCarthy but needed every bit of his speed and moxie to hold off Wish You Well and David Miller in the Lightning Lane and win Saturday's $350,000 final of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows.
Noel Daley trains the son of Captain Treacherous-Angelou, who now boasts a career bankroll of $752,915, for Patricia Stable, L.A. Express Stable, Sjoblom Racing and Michael Dolan.
Last year's Dan Patch Award winner for freshman males as well as Pennsylvania's champion, Captain Albano threw down a 1:21.2 three-quarters, thwarting a number of challenges and abortive moves along the way. But when the dust settled as the field turned for home, the outcome came down to the two elimination winners--Captain Albano trying to hold firm, Wish You Well pouring through a suddenly available Lightning Lane. Captain Albano prevailed by a neck in 1:49.2, matching his career best.Timeisonmyside, who reached the final as a 47-1 long shot in his elim, ducked from the gate but nicely weaved his way through traffic to earn show. Noblesville was fourth.
McCarthy indicated he didn't think his horse was in danger of coming up short.
"I'll be honest with you," he said. "He was a little tired, it was a real big mile. But when I heard David coming late, I asked him to go on, and he went that little bit more.'
For his part, Miller said the result might have been different had he found the Lightning Lane sooner.
"I would like to have sat in the two hole, but I'm happy to be second ," Miller said. "He raced great. He raced great both weeks here."
It was the first Adios title for both McCarthy and Daley.
ADIOS NOTES: The Ron Burke stable, which has entered as many as 29 horses on Adios Days past, settled for 17 Saturday. "We're slacking off," joked the stable's Kein Weimer. But the quality was there, as Burke collected a three-bagger. . .When he came up a neck short, Miller missed a chance to move into sole possession of second place on the Adios championships list. He's currently in a six-way tie for second with three titles. All-time leader John Campbell has eight, a mark that may never be matched.
July 27
The Meadows
Washington, PA
Purse $104,225
My Girl EJ moved powerfully first over from fifth, and she kept right on moving until she scored in 1;48.4 — fastest distaff mile ever at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows — in Saturday’s $104,225 Quinton Patterson Adioo Volo for sophomore filly pacers.
The time knocked a tick from the track’s all-age distaff pacing record as well as the stake mark established by Allstar Rating in 2014.
When the daughter of Sweet Lou-Lucy’s Pearl set sail after the leader, Geocentric, it was last year’s Breeders Crown winner challenging last year’s Dan Patch Award winner. My Girl EJ cleared easily and went on to defeat CanIgetalouploup by 2-3/4 lengths, with Asweetbeachhere third.
“She’s pretty quick, and she’s pretty tough, too,” said winning driver Dexter Dunn. “Once the fractions set up for her, I didn’t know I would win like that, but I knew I’d be in the fight.”
My Girl EJ now has finished in the money in all but one of her 20 career outings. Ron Burke trains her and owns with Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Elizabeth Novak.
