I couldn't help thinking of the great pacing filly Tarport Hap after watching Twin B Joe Fresh dominate her mare rivals last Sunday (May 26) at Harrah's Philadelphia. Nearly 50 years ago the champion by the legendary sire Most Happy Fella would rise from brilliance, but not dominance as a freshman and sophomore, to a new standard as an older horse with the capacity to race against and defeat male competition. Twin B Joe Fresh, in my mind, had something in common with Tarport Hap, at least during her first two years on the track, and now again following a breathtaking 1:48 2/5 career-best mile in the $100,000 Betsy Ross. The commonality between the two mares has much to do with bloodlines and location of many of their early races. Both Tarport Hap and Twin B Joe Fresh were New York-sired and campaigned on the Sire Stakes circuit. Twin B Joe Fresh hails from the same stallion line, with her sire Roll With Joe a son of Cam's Card Shark and her great grand sire Cam Fella an immortal son of the same Most Happy Fella that landed us not only Tarport Hap but her one-time rival champion Silk Stockings. For Twin B Joe Fresh, as great as a champion as she has become over the last two years, it has been the rival Sylvia Hanover that has kept her from standing alone. Such was the case in 1974-75 when Silk Stockings seemed to have the better results and better storyline when juxtaposed with Tarport Hap. 'Silky' would capture the sport's richest race in 1975 at Monticello, defeating mostly male competition, as well as Tarport Hap, who made a break that day. Tarport Hap would emerge as the better of the two when they became 4-year-olds and would make a name for herself by routinely defeating the best male competition, including in the U.S. Pacing Championship at Roosevelt Raceway in 1976. Nearly 50 years ago top mares didn't naturally retire and become broodmares, and we're thankful today that the connections behind Twin B Joe Fresh and Sylvia Hanover elected to take the racing option in 2024, likely providing racing fans with something to look forward to all year. Trainer Chris Ryder, one of four part-owners of Twin B Joe Fresh and the mare's trainer, reflected on that decision. "We were offered $700,000 for her as a 2-year-old," Ryder said about the group's decision to turn that down. "Turned out to be a good move." That's because Twin B Joe Fresh has earned nearly $1.5 million during her career and stands to see that bank account swell this year if she continues to race to the form she exhibited on May 26. While final times don't seem to matter nearly as much today as they may have 50 years ago, the 1:48 2/5 clocking in the Betsy Ross was as impressive an effort seen on that 16-race program filled with stakes events. While a 26-second final quarter is nothing new on mile tracks, it's not something you often see over a five-eighths oval, and Twin B Joe Fresh appeared quite comfortable finishing out her mile in that fashion. Still, it's not how fast you go but who you beat that generally sets horses apart, and Twin B Joe Fresh left some quality mares in her dust on that Sunday afternoon. The veteran and Blue Chip Matchmaker champion Lit De Rose had found the front for Pat Lachance and didn't have to expend much energy while yielding the lead to Twin B Joe Fresh in the second quarter. One would have thought Lit De Rose could have stayed attached to her rival from the pocket, but the 27-second third quarter paced by Twin B Joe Fresh took the fight out of her and left her gasping by the final turn. The Betsy Ross victory didn't surprise Ryder, but it did give him more reason to be enthusiastic going forward. "After her first race [a second-place finish in an overnight on May 19] I didn't know how ready she was," said Ryder. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter He got his answer in a major way in the Betsy Ross, and now the sport can look ahead to the first confrontation this year between last year's best 3-year-old filly pacers. "She's going next in the Roses Are Red," said Ryder of the schedule that could have included facing much softer competition in Kentucky Sire Stakes events at Oak Grove. If eliminations are required for the Roses Are Red at Woodbine Mohawk Park, they will take place on Friday, June 7, with the final on North America Cup night (June 15). Sylvia Hanover also has had two starts this year, racing against older mares for the first time as a 4-year-old. Though she's winless, the daughter of Always B Miki was a solid second to last year's Lady Liberty champion Silver Label in her most recent start (May 24) at Woodbine Mohawk Park. When last they met, Twin B Joe Fresh tried to leave Sylvia Hanover in the dust in the Breeders Crown final at Harrah's Hoosier Park, only to fall short in the late stages of the race and see Sylvia Hanover and four other fillies go past her in the long stretch. Twin B Joe Fresh did bounce back from that defeat, taking on older foes (albeit just four) in the Fan Duel championship in late November at the Meadowlands and winning handily. It's still way too early in the 4-year-old campaign to make bold predictions given the toughness of some of the more experienced competition. That said, Twin B Joe Fresh has the high speed and versatility required to give her a chance no matter what size track or what competition she will face. For Ryder, who is still basking in the glow of another horse that he shared ownership in, the young sire Bettor's Wish, owning a great horse is quite special. "It's great to be part of this group with a horse like this," Ryder said of the winner's circle experience. As for Twin B Joe Fresh doing in 2024 what Tarport Hap did regularly as a 4 and 5-year-old - facing male competition - Ryder wouldn't rule it out. "It's got to be the right conditions," said Ryder, "But I wouldn't be opposed to it."