Noel Daley 1st Australian trainer to earn Little Brown Jug, his charge Captain Albano wins

Trainer Noel Daley has won nearly 3,000 races and worked with countless champions. His horses have earned more than $75 million. But never before had the Australian won the Little Brown Jug.

Until now.

Daley’s charge Captain Albano went off as the 3-5 favorite and raced to a 3 ½-length victory Thursday in the $625,000 Little Brown Jug at the Delaware County Fairgrounds. He finished ahead of Mirage Hanover and Legendary Hanover with a time of 1:51.3.

Captain Albano’s win also provided the first Jug for 31-year-old driver Todd McCarthy, a fellow Australian who, in four years of U.S. racing, has earned more than $32 million in purses.

“It’s great to see it done,” Daley said with a smile.

Captain Albano was a surprise winner of the first elimination heat at 3-1, leaving from the No. 1 position going straight to the lead off the gate and never looking back to romp in 1:49.2. Captain Luke, Mirage Hanover and Huntingforchrome also qualified for the final from that heat.

Daley admitted he was caught off guard seeing Captain Albano in front so early.

“We pretty much decided we were taking him off the gate, but as soon as I saw him go I thought, ‘I guess (McCarthy) went to Plan B,’ ” Daley said. “He said everyone looked relaxed behind the gate, and they didn't look like they were going to leave. It worked out pretty good for us.”

The heavy favorite, Nijinsky, who had lost only once in his 10 previous starts this year, made a move along the backside but faded quickly.

Trainer Anthony Beaton said the pacer was making noise in his throat after the race but that it would take veterinary diagnostics to figure out exactly what happened.

“We’ll have the vets scope him later on and see what’s up there,” Beaton said. “Hopefully it’s nothing major and we can get ready for the next go-round.”

The No. 1 post also proved lucky for Captain Quarters and Jody Jamieson, who went gate to wire in first place, winning by a head over Total Stranger in 1:51.3 at odds of 5-1.

Once again, the heavy favorite failed to fire, as Legendary Hanover was third by a length. Sweet Beach Life also qualified.

When Captain Albano took to the track for the final heat, leaving from post 2 as the race favorite, Daley had simple instructions for his driver: “I said, 'Just don't get locked in. Just come out and sit outside.' It worked out great.”

Captain’s Quarters took the lead in the final, and McCarthy stayed close behind in second place through much of the mile before sling-shotting around the final turn and leaving his rival in the fading September sun.

Captain Albano pulled clear and won going away, with McCarthy barely urging him on.

“It wasn't until the top of the stretch here that I sort of had to start making a plan to get going,” McCarthy said. “At that point, the pace wasn't overly fast, and I was content to have him sit out there. The rest of it was pretty cool.”

The winners were visited by Gov. Mike DeWine, who presented the Jug trophy.

“Kentucky’s got thoroughbreds, but we have harness racing,” DeWine said. “This is, in a sense, a throwback. You could have seen an event 100 years ago in Ohio. This is Ohio.”

Ohio State journalism students Sam Cipriani and Wil Steigerwald contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Noel Daley 1st Australian trainer to earn Little Brown Jug, his charge Captain Albano wins