Albano Eyes Return in Louisiana Handicap

Brereton C. Jones’ Albano continues to work well in the mornings at Fair Grounds Race Course as he embarks toward his 4-year-old debut for trainer Larry Jones. The son of Istan followed up a bullet five-panel move in 1:00 flat on Christmas Eve with a leisurely work at the same distance in 1:01.80 on New Year’s Eve for his connections.

“He seems like he’s doing well right now,” his trainer reported. “We will most likely look at the (Listed $75,000 Louisiana Handicap) on the 17th with him.”

Albano was last seen when third as the 7-5 favorite in the Grade III $300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx – an effort that necessitated time off for the bay homebred. Previous to that, the best two efforts of his career came at Monmouth Park when winning the Grade III Pegasus Stakes by 6 ½ lengths and then finishing second behind Horse of the Year candidate Bayern, beating expected 3-year-old filly champion Untapable and multiple graded stakes winner Wildcat Red in the latter.

Locally, he has five starts including a maiden victory and a win in the $60,000 Sugar Bowl last December. Those two wins were followed by a pair of seconds in the Grade III $200,000 Lecomte Stakes and Grade II $400,000 Risen Star Stakes.

Albano’s half-brother Mark Valeski had a similar commencement to his 4-year-old season. In 2013, the winner of the Grade II Peter Pan Stakes as a sophomore came off a considerable layoff to run in all three races of the local handicap division, accounting for a win in the Grade III Mineshaft and a pair of seconds in the Louisiana and New Orleans Handicaps. Mark Valeski – like his brother – was also second in the Risen Star.

Source: Fair Grounds Communications