Inca shoots for title

Driver Dave Palone is hoping Allamerica Inca finally brings him his first Breeders Crown victory Saturday night at Woodbine. Palone has 18 Crown final starts on his resume, with two seconds and four thirds but no victories, and he says the freshman gelding Allamerica Inca "is probably my best shot."



Allamerica Inca comes into the Breeders Crown for 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers riding a three-race win streak, which doesn't include his mile world record 1:51.2 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes victory in early September over the five-eighths mile oval at The Meadows. He won divisions of the Bluegrass and International Stallion Stakes (a career-best 1:50.4 effort that missed equaling the world mark on a one-mile oval by only one-fifth of a second) at The Red Mile and then captured his Crown elim in sparkling come-from-behind fashion last Saturday night at Woodbine.



"He's obviously on top of his game," Palone told The Horseman from his home near The Meadows in Pittsburgh. "He feels that he can go by anybody and that's the way I'd like to keep him. I've never really got him tired yet. If he does have one advantage, it's that he has never really been raced on his toes so he might just be a little fresher than the other colts."



As for Allamerica Inca's penchant for racing off the pace, Palone said, "I'm just not comfortable with him early. He's not the handiest horse. Once you get him set he's OK, but I think I could make a serious mistake if I try and do something quick with him early right now."



Palone and Allamerica Inca will leave from post three while fellow elim winner Shanghai Phil and driver Mike Lachance will start from the two hole. "Even if I was inside of him, he's going to get around me leaving, that's for sure," said Palone. "I'm sure Mike is going to take advantage of (Shanghai Phil's) gate speed."



The closest Palone has come to a Crown victory was a second behind Come Unwound in the 1992 Three-Year-Old Filly Pace and a second with Camourous in the 1995 Older Mare Pace. As for this year's possibility of adding his first Breeders Crown championship among his 9,921 career victories, the 42-year-old Palone said, "Yeah, I'd like to get one on my resume. It won't change my life any but I'd sure like to have it. I would be very appreciative."

« Back