Anderson, IN — In the first of three $25,000 Breeders Crown for freshman pacing colts, Better Is Nice flew five wide from behind in the stretch to catch fading favorite Newsroom and brush off a late close by Gem Quality to win by a neck in 1:50.3 on Friday (Oct. 20) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.

Better Is Nice scored an impressive victory on Friday in his Breeders Crown elimination, rolling from off the pace, getting up in the shadow of the wire. Dean Gillette Photo.

Newsroom (David Miller) pushed a scorching first quarter passing Dancin Champion’s (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) fast start and took the top in :25.4. The pace continued with a :54.4 half as Newsroom led and Gem Quality (Dexter Dunn) went first over with Total Stranger picking up cover. The field got to three-quarters in 1:23.2.

The uneven fractions got to Newsroom and he began to fade while challenged. Getting the best of the pace was Better Is Nice (Bettor’s Wish-Thatsoveryverynice), who came flying late to get a neck up over Gem Quality. Newsroom hung grittily for third and Huntingforchrome (Joe Bongiorno) was fourth.

McCarthy mentioned the race’s first quarter, saying “I was pretty happy with that and was going to have to push off for the first eighth. Then I thought it might be wrong to do that. We ended up getting way back but it turned out that was not a bad place to be. [My colt] came from seventh. He has crazy amounts of speed.”

Tony Alagna trains Better Is Nice, for Alagna Racing LLC, Pryde Stables Inc. and Birnam Wood Farms who own the colt that was bred by Alagna Racing LLC and Marvin Katz. Better Is Nice has now earned $503,120. He paid $13.40 to win.

Storm Shadow worked out a perfect trip en route to victory in his Breeders Crown elimination. Dean Gillette Photo.

In the second division, Storm Shadow (Bettor’s Delight-Fade) won his third straight stakes event (at three different tracks) for trainer Ian Moore. Bob McClure steered the colt for the last two, winning this one in 1:52.

Though Storm Shadow left alertly, Boston Rocks (Tim Tetrick) rushed to take the lead in a :27 first quarter with no sign of slowing down. At the half Boston Rocks was two lengths ahead of Storm Shadow with Captain Luke (Andrew McCarthy) pushing the third spot in a 1:25.1 third quarter. That was all Boston Rocks had to offer as he began to struggle in the stretch while Storm Shadow ate real estate to get to the wire first by a head with Captain Luke finishing second and Boston Rocks left a tired third. Nijinsky (Dunn) was fourth.

Bob McClure said, “From what I know about him I have nothing but good things to say. He’s nice to drive, he’s good-gaited and he’s handy. Last week [in the Ontario Sires Stakes Super Gold Final] he kind of fell into a nice trip but tonight he was great.”

RG McGroup LTD, Serge Savard, Bolton Stables and Mac Nichol own Storm Shadow, a Bettor’s Delight—Fade colt bred by Tara Hills Stud. Storm Shadow has now earned $223,560 in his first season. He paid $7.40 to win.

Captain Albano put up one of the more impressive performances of the evening with a dominating Breeders Crown Elimination victory. Dean Gillette Photo.

In the last of the freshman colt-pacing eliminations the stretch was a playground for Captain Albano (Todd McCarthy). The Captaintreacherous—Angelou colt was all out for driver Todd McCarthy once he put away early leader Magnifico Hanover (Brian Sears), who tried to take total control in a blazing :26.2 first quarter. Before the :55.4 half, Captain Albano dismissed the lot of them, soaring to the lead by two lengths and increasing the lead until he crossed the wire in 1:50.4, 3-1/2 lengths ahead of the late arriving Legendary Hanover (James MacDonald) with Nuclear (Andy Miller) and Noblesville (Wrenn Jr.) well out of sight.

Noblesville finished fourth and by the nature of his earnings makes the final.

Trainer Noel Daley said he “just asked Todd if he had something left and he said [Captain Albano] did it with his ears pricked. He’s a very nice horse and he’s gotten lucky with a bunch of nice trips lately.”

Captain Albano’s bankroll is now $288,180.

Patricia Stable, LA Express & Sjoblom Inc, and M.E. Dolan own Captain Albano, who won his sixth race in a row and paid $2.80 to win.

Frederick W. Hertrich bred the colt.