Freehold, NJ — It’s usually the driver who receives all the accolades after a victory, and rightly so, but when a trainer sends out two horses as individual participants in the same contest and they finish first and second in the race, it’s certainly an unusual accomplishment.

Case in point: the American Harness Drivers Club Trot at Freehold Raceway Saturday (Nov. 28) in which trainer Taylor Gower’s two participants, Mugshot Jess and If I Must, finished first and second, respectively, in that $9,000 amateur trot.

Pearly Allen was up behind the winner, Mugshot Jess, while Paul Minore handled the driving chores for the runner-up, If I Must. And neither was the betting favorite in the race. That honor belonged to Can Do who was driven to a third place finish by “Yankee Joe” Lee.

When the starter released the field Minore sent If I Must to the lead and then relinquished control to Mugshot Jess who didn’t take command until well after the quarter was trotted in :29.3.

Sent off a fourth choice in the wagering, Allen kept the pedal to the metal and Mugshot Jess got first call at the halfway point in :59.3 while keeping Always A Good Time and driver Joe Faraldo parked out in the fresh air.

With Mugshot Jess still showing the way Allen seemed undeterred as his trotter began to trot away from his challengers as the three-quarter-mile timer flashed 1:29.2. In front by two lengths as the field rounded the final turn and headed for home the lead was opened to 3-1/4 lengths at the finish.

Watching all the action in front of him, Minore, who had a two-hole trip, kept after If I Must and although the veteran trotter didn’t gain on the leader he did shrug off Can Do to garner the place money in the 1:59.1 mile.

Trainer Taylor Gower owns the winner, a 13-year-old altered son of Jailhouse Jesse. He paid $12.60 for win.