Twin B Joe Fresh, the 2024 U.S. Horse of the Year, showed she’s back in top form while finishing the 1-2 combination for trainer Chris Ryder that was started yesterday by Miki And Minnie at Plainridge Park, doing so by winning the $22,535 Winners Over distaff handicap pace on Friday afternoon, June 26 at Harrah’s Philadelphia in a powerful 1:48.4.

Dexter Dunn came in for the catch-drive behind Twin B Joe Fresh and settled the daughter of Roll With Joe-Fresh Breeze in second behind Elektra A (Simon Allard) well before a :27.1 quarter, then brushed with her in front of the stands to the lead before a :55.2 half (no doubt helped by the scratch of Gigglingonthebeach, the front-stepping horse who was considered to be her main rival Friday). Twin B Joe Fresh was then asked for championship speed and she gave it, pacing her third quarter in :26.4 to hit the third marker in 1:22.1, and then staying strong with a :26.3 kicker to complete the mile – only four-fifths of a second off Shartin N’s 2019 divisional track record. Sweetnikkilou A (Mark Herschberger) finished 2-1/2 lengths behind the heavy favourite in second and Elektra A was third.

Trainer Ryder and driver Dunn are co-owners of the winner of $3.4 million with Peter Trebotica of Bordentown, New Jersey and Barry Spak of Thornton, Pennsylvania. After starting her six-year-old campaign in the Grade 1 Roses Are Red Stakes, Twin B Joe Fresh earned her first win of the year and 37th overall from 52 starts. With Twin B Joe Fresh and the aforementioned Miki And Minnie, who each have won two Dan Patch divisional awards, Ryder has a pair of super side-wheelers who are the reference points for the Free-For-All pacing mares division.

If on the far turn of the $16,197 fast-class distaff pace you were looking for the winner, she would have been in an unusual-for-Philly spot, circling up four-wide. But the Pet Rock-Classic Chark mare Blood Moon A stayed in after forcing the early pace, was shuffled behind a contested lead battle that collapsed and had to wait until late backstretch to get clearance, then swung wide and swept by everybody in the last eighth to win in 1:51.2 for driver Mark Herschberger, trainer Enrico Robinson and Pollack Racing of Venetia, Pennsylvania.

There were a pair of $16,901 contests for younger horses on the improve. The contest for pacing distaffs was impressively won by Luckylady Hanover, a Captaintreacherous-Lady Dale filly who reduced her mark to 1:52 for driver Corey Callahan, trainer Stacy Chiodo and Timothy Tobias Stable of Belle Meade, New Jersey. Luckylady Hanover came roaring frontward down the back and made the point while pacing her own third quarter in :27.2, then tacked on a :27 kicker to be drawing away with the greatest of ease.

The trotting sector of this class went to the Calgary Games-Sansuna Hanover filly Calgary Sun, who is now perfect in two starts since entering the Per Engblom shedrow after reducing her mark to 1:55.4. Calgary Sun also used a backstretch move (in :27.3) to gain contention under George Napolitano Jr.’s guidance, made the lead in the lane, then held off Sister Wine, who closed well after a shuffle, by a neck for Myfab Inc. of Bordentown, New Jersey.

An impressive debuting two-year-old was the Roll With Joe-R Marie Hanover colt Maries Jet, who won a photo over pacesetting favourite Beeville (Huntsville-Always A Buzz) in 1:52.3. Beeville set fast fractions of :26.3, :55.3 and 1:23.2; Marie’ Jet, who had tucked fourth on the first turn, started an unrelenting move mid-backstretch that carried him up to the leader approaching heastretch, then enabled him to get the decision by a head over the game pacesetter. Troy Beyer had the drive on the winner for trainer Aaron Lambert and owners Vincent Ferriero Jr. of Deland, Florida and Carlye Yanstick of Farmingdale, New Jersey.

Beyer won sulky honours on the day with four victories on the 15-race card, with Simon Allard one behind. Doubles were rung up by driver Corey Callahan and trainer Enrico Robinson.

Sunday’s 12:40 p.m. racing card at Philly features male pacers competing in both the classes for up-and-coming performers and for the established fast-class set. 

(With files from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)