The session of qualifiers on Friday, May 2 at The Meadowlands offered solid star power over its 14 dashes, including the second seasonal appearance of 2024 U.S. Horse of the Year Twin B Joe Fresh.

A winner in New Jersey over a track listed as good six days ago, Twin B Joe Fresh returned to the Big M for her second charted mile in advance of her five-year-old season. A new challenger appeared this week: 2024 Dan Patch Award winner My Girl EJ. These two last saw each other in the 2024 FanDuel Open Mares Final in November, with My Girl EJ finishing a valiant second. And that's exactly how they finished on Friday morning.

With co-owner Dexter Dunn at the controls, Twin B Joe Fresh fronted My Girl EJ and driver Todd McCarthy through fractions of :28.4, :57.3 and 1:25.3 before sprinting home in a brisk :26 for the 1:51.3 score. My Girl EJ stayed with her divisional rival, finishing less than two lengths back.

Twin B Joe Fresh (Roll With Joe - Fresh Breeze) heads into her 2025 campaign with a 30-7-1 summary from 40 career appearances, with more than $2.6 million in purses for Dunn, owner-trainer Chris Ryder, and co-owners Pete Trebotica and Barry Spak.

The 1:51.3 mile time was the fastest of the morning, set two dashes prior by world record holder Seven Colors. That five-year-old son of Stay Hungry - Rainbowinthedark was picked off late in a 1:50.3 mile in his first effort of the year, but this week he played the role of spoiler. Jason Bartlett sat third and last with Seven Colors in his qualifying dash, with Voukefalas (Jordan Stratton) fronting U.S. Older Pacer of the Year Abuckabett Hanover (Dunn) through splits of :28, :57 and 1:25. Emerging from the back from the bus, Seven Colors sprinted home in :26 to best Voukefalas by three parts of a length for the 1:51.3 score.

Trainer Andrew Harris co-owns Seven Colors along with Bill Pollock and Bruce Areman of Freehold, N.J. The millionaire pacer sports a mark of 1:48.1h taken at Northfield Park to stake his claim as the sport's fastest sophomore on a half-mile oval.

Speaking of sophomores, the three-year-old debut of Captain Optimistic certainly impressed onlookers during the Friday session. Driver Dexter Dunn wrestled Captain Optimistic to the back of the five-pack as Fallout (Tim Tetrick) paced through panels of :27.3, :56.3 and 1:25. More than five lengths off the leader at the third station, Dunn gave Captain Optimistic his cue for late speed. Did the colt oblige? Aye, aye captain! Into the three path around Strangerinthenight, Captain Optimistic closed in :25.4 for the 1:51.4 score. Fallout was second by three parts of a length with debuting Papis Pistol third for driver Andy Miller, two lengths back.

The track record holder at The Meadowlands by virtue of his 1:49 lifetime best performance, Captain Optimistic (Captaintreacherous - Cinamony) is trained by Nancy Takter for 3 Brothers Stables of New York, N.Y., Marvin Katz of Toronto, Ont. and Caviart Farms of Vienna, Va. The 2024 Governor's Cup winner sports a summary of 7-2-1 from his 11 two-year-old appearances with $628,529 in earnings.

Miki And Minnie sprinted home even faster in her third qualifier of the season, uncorking a :25.3 closer for driver Dunn to pick off pacesetter Ronstadt (Scott Zeron) in the final strides of a 1:52.4 mile.

New U.S. Hall of Famer Chris Ryder trains Miki And Minnie, the millionaire and Dan Patch Award winner who posted a 6-4-1 record in 11 starts for breeder-owners Craig Henderson of Chicago, Il., Robert Mondillo of Delaware, Oh., and Lawrence Minowitz of Greenwich, Ct.

On the trotting side, 2024 Maple Leaf Trot winner Periculum made his first charted appearance of 2025 and authored a wire-to-wire 1:53.1 effort for driver Scott Zeron and trainer / co-owner Marcus Melander.

Periculum (Muscle Hill - Amour Heiress) enters his six-year-old season with an 11-8-8  summary from 50 career starts and more than $1.5 million in earnings. Of those 11 victories, more than half came during his 2024 campaign for Brixton Medical Inc. and Holly Lane Stud East Ltd.

Also winning on the engine at first asking during the Friday session was 2024 Valley Victory winner Monserrate, prevailing for driver David Miller in a time of 1:54.1.

Owned by trainer Andrew Harris along with Bill Pollock and Bruce Areman, Monserrate sports a record of 4-3-0 from 13 starts, a mark of 1:52.1 and earnings of $464,156.

Full qualifier results are available here.

(Standardbred Canada)