Chester, PA – 2024 Harness Horse of the Year Twin B Joe Fresh 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, doing so by winning the $16,000 distaff handicap pace Friday afternoon (June 26) at Harrah’s Philadelphia in a powerful 1:48.4.
Dexter Dunn came in for the catch-drive behind the daughter of Roll With Joe, settled her in second behind Elektra A 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 frontstepping 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 4/5 of a second off Shartin N’s 2019 divisional track record.
Trainer Ryder and driver Dunn are co-owners of the winner of $2,874.799 with Peter Trebotica and Barry Spak. 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 sidewheelers who are the reference points for the free-for-all pacing mares division.
If on the far turn of the $11,500 co-featured pace for the fast-class distaffs you were looking for the winner, she would have been in an unusual-for-Philly spot, circling up four-wide. But the Pet Rock 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 LLC.
There were a pair of $12,000 contests for younger horses on the improve. The contest for pacing distaffs was impressively won by Luckylady Hanover, a Captaintreacherous filly who reduced her mark to 1:52 for driver Corey Callahan, trainer Stacy Chiodo, and Timothy Tobias Sable LLC. 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 filly Calgary Sun, who is now perfect in two starts since entering the Per Engblom shedrow after reducing her mark to 1:55.2. 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.
An impressive debuting two-year-old was the Roll With Joe – R Marie Hanover colt Marie’s Jet, who won a photo over pacesetting favorite Beeville in 1:52.3. Beeville set fast fractions of :26.3, :55.3, and 1:23.2; Marie’s Jet, who had tucked fourth on the first turn, started an unrelenting move midbackstretch that carried him up to the leader approaching headstretch, then enabled him to get the decision by a head over the game pacesetter. Troy Beyer had the drive for trainer Aaron Lambert and owners Vincent Ferriero Jr. and Carlye Yanstick.
Beyer won sulky honors on the day with four victories, with Simon Allard one behind. Doubles were rung up by driver Corey Callahan and trainer Enrico Robinson.
Sunday’s (June 28) 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 fat-class set. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.