From her earliest days in trainer Chris Ryder’s stable, female pacer Twin B Joe Fresh was eye-catching.
“When she came in the barn, she was absolutely spectacular looking. From day one,” said Peter Trebotica, Ryder’s longtime assistant and a co-owner of Twin B Joe Fresh. “Strong, big, beautiful. She looked the part.
“I told them when we were going 2:50 miles [preparing for her two-year-old season] that this is a special horse. I told people she’s in a league of her own.”
Since her racing career began, the filly has done more than look the part — she’s acted it. Twin B Joe Fresh has hit the board in 23 of 24 lifetime starts, winning 17 and finishing second on five occasions. Purchased for $65,000 at the 2021 Standardbred Horse Sale, the daughter of Roll With Joe-Fresh Breeze has earned $1.3 million in purses.
On Saturday, Oct. 28, she will meet nine rivals in the $600,000 Breeders Crown final for three-year-old female pacers at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
“You have to pinch yourself a little bit, really,” said Ryder. “We loved her at the sale; we loved her when we got her home. She always had plenty of go. She’s been pretty much trouble-free. It’s been terrific. She’s a good girl. Her record speaks for itself.”
Ryder and Trebotica own Twin B Joe Fresh with driver Dexter Dunn and Barry Spak. Ryder went to the 2021 Standardbred Horse Sale looking to buy a yearling for the group to replace a three-year-old it sold a month prior to the auction.
As hip No. 630, Twin B Joe Fresh was late in the sale.
“I missed on some horses, but I knew she was coming up, so I didn’t push myself on the others because she was about the last one that I liked,” Ryder said, adding with a laugh. “So, when she came in, I kind of had to buy her. You’ve got to believe in fate a little bit.”
As a two-year-old, Twin B Joe Fresh won in 1:48.4 to tie Test Of Faith for history’s second-fastest mile by a rookie female pacer. Her career victories include two Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series finals, one New York Sire Stakes final, and a half-dozen Grand Circuit triumphs, led by this year’s James M. Lynch Memorial.
After guiding Twin B Joe Fresh to victory in the Lynch, Dunn said, “It’s always different when you own them, especially with Chris and Pete and the team. It’s very special.”
Trebotica, who has owned only a handful of horses over the years, also is enjoying the experience with his wife, Barbara, and son, Brad.
“It’s a big part of our lives at the moment,” said Trebotica. “I’ve been with her every day of her life, me and my wife. When she’s in the barn, we’re there. We want to be there. She’s special. My biggest thrill is just being around her every day.”
Twin B Joe Fresh was not eligible to the Breeders Crown at age two. Last week, she finished second by a nose to Zanatta in one of two Breeders Crown eliminations. She will start the final from post seven and is 3-1 on the morning line, the third choice behind elimination winner Strong Poison, at 2-1, and returning Crown champion Sylvia Hanover, at 5-2.
“This is the biggest race of her career,” said Trebotica, who has worked with Ryder for 23 years. “She can [race] any way you want, and she’s got an engine on her you wouldn’t believe. She’s just powerful. And she wants to do it. She has a big heart.”
Harrah’s Hoosier Park hosts all four Breeders Crown finals for two-year-olds on Friday, Oct. 27. The remaining eight finals, for three-year-olds and older, are Saturday, Oct. 28. First post time for both the Friday and Saturday Breeders Crown cards of harness racing at Harrah's Hoosier Park will be 6 p.m. Live video for both nights will be available through the Standardbred Canada website.
Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Pace - Saturday, Oct. 28
Post - Horse - Morning Line Odds
1. Strong Poison - 2-1
2. Beach Cowgirl - 30-1
3. Sweet Amira - 20-1
4. Zanatta - 9-2
5. Sylvia Hanover - 5-2
6. Charleston - 15-1
7. Twin B Joe Fresh - 3-1
8. Always B Naughty - 30-1
9. McSeaside - 20-1
10. Front Page Story - 30-1
(USTA)