Affirmed and Alydar dueled through perhaps the most storied rivalry in thoroughbred racing history, but those legends have nothing on two outstanding standardbreds, Jans Luck and Spring Break. When the two locked horns in Friday’s $22,500 Filly & Mare Preferred Pace, it was the 34th time they battled at The Meadows in their extended grudge match

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This time, Spring Break got the better of her archrival by scoring for Mike Wilder on the front end in 1:53.1, a half-length better than Lorrie Please, with Mud Pie Hanover third. Jans Luck tired late from a first-over journey and finished fourth for Dave Palone.

It’s rare to find two fast-class competitors able to sustain top form for such an extended period, but since their first meeting Feb. 22, 2008, here are some of the statistics this pair of seven-year-olds has compiled, according to the United States Trotting Association:

• Jans Luck has won 14 of their common races, Spring Break 11.
• They’ve finished 1-2 on nine occasions.
• Only once in their common races (March 25, 2011) have both finished out of the money.
• Every one of their meetings has been in the Preferred, a tribute to their talent and durability.

Oh yes. The rivalry has been good for their respective bank accounts. With their cheques Friday, the duo surpassed $1.5 million in combined earnings. Randy Bendis conditions Spring Break, a daughter of Dream Away-Siobhan, for Joann and Joe Thomson, while Ron Burke trains Jans Luck, a daughter of Camluck-Jans Scooter, for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, JJK Stables and M1 Stable.

Friday’s card also featured the opening leg of the Red Star Hottie Pace for three-year-old fillies. Morwyn Hanover turned in the fastest of three $15,000 divisions when she made a decisive quarter-pole move for Palone and scored in 1:55.3. McTootsie was second, five and a quarter lengths back, with Another Wild Woman third.

Burke trains Morwyn Hanover, a daughter of The Panderosa-Maureen Hanover, for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, JJK Stables and Tracy Hendler. Macapelo Rose (Dick Stillings) and Mikayla Rose (Tony Hall) captured the other splits.

(The Meadows)