The Chris Ryder-trained tandem of Twin B Joe Fresh and Miki And Minnie renewed their rivalry in the stretch of the $217,361 Lady Liberty (Grade 2) for pacing mares on Saturday, Aug. 8 at The Meadowlands with Miki And Minnie and driver James MacDonald scoring the winning blow in a 1:48 mile.

Twin B Joe Fresh (Dexter Dunn), a two-time Dan Patch Award winner, shot out of post seven on the far outside to control the pace, followed to the :27.1 first quarter by Unreasonable (Todd McCarthy), Miki And Minnie – last year’s Dan Patch Three-Year-Old Pacing Filly champ – and the other five parading to a :54.2 half. The only movement in the backstretch came when MacDonald initiated his attack off the pylons with Miki And Minnie, aiming at her stablemate as she scorched towards three-quarters in 1:21.3.

Miki And Minnie chased Twin B Joe Fresh with purpose in a gutsy stretch battle. 

"I've never seen Miki And Minnie give up," Ryder said about Miki And Minnie after the race. "I never count her out. She was down about 2-1/2 lengths not far into the stretch [from Twin B Joe Fresh], but it did not surprise me she made it.”

Pacing a :26 final quarter, Miki And Minnie tucked to draft behind her stablemate before laying a final siege in the closing eighth of a mile. She smoothly surged by and put away Twin B Joe Fresh for a half-length win with Louies Girl N (Andrew McCarthy) finishing third.

"I'm just pleased to see them go the races they’re supposed to go," Ryder said about his mares finishing first and second. “From week to week, you can get a little nervous when they’re going to the gate just to make sure they perform, but I’m delighted with both of them.” 

Ryder also said the pair will be heading north for the Milton Stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park in a few weeks.

Miki And Minnie went over a half-million in earnings on the year while winning for the sixth time in eight starts and boosting her career bankroll to $3.2 million. A 25-time winner from 34 races, the homebred four-year-old by Always B Miki out of the Roll With Joe mare Thats The Ticket competes for owners Craig Henderson of Chicago, Illinois, Robert Mondillo of Delaware, Ohio and Lawrence Minowitz of Greenwich, Connecticut.

Sent postward as the slight favourite over Twin B Joe Fresh, she paid $4.20 to win.

(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)