Meadowlands: Miki And Minnie tops Ryder-trained exacta in Lady Liberty

Miki And Minnie collared stablemate Twin B Joe Fresh approaching the wire to capture the Grade 2 $156,500 Lady Liberty for open pacing mares at the Meadowlands on Saturday afternoon. With James MacDonald in the bike, the 4-year-old daughter of Always B Miki paced the mile in 1:48, equaling her previous lifetime-best performance.

Twin B Joe Fresh, the second choice in the field with Dexter Dunn, blasted from the gate from post seven to supplant Unreasonable for the lead with Miki And Minnie settling in third in the early stages. Twin B Joe Fresh hit the quarter in 27 1/5. There was no movement as the field went single-file through a half in 54 2/5 with MacDonald giving Miki And Minnie her cue late on the final turn. Twin B Joe Fresh

accelerated, hitting three-quarters in 1:21 3/5 and opening ground on the pocket-sitter Unreasonable.

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MacDonald seized the opportunity to draft behind the pace-setter, placing Miki And Minnie behind Twin B Joe Fresh to get her more composed. By mid-stretch MacDonald called on Miki And Minnie, and she made up ground quickly, pacing by Twin B Joe Fresh in the 26 2/5 final quarter to win with ease. Twin B Joe Fresh settled for second with Louies Girl N third.

Owned and bred by bred by Craig Henderson, Robert Mondillo and Lawrence Minowitz, Miki And Minnie is trained by Hall of Famer Chris Ryder.

As the favorite Miki And Minnie returned $4.20, winning for the sixth time in eight starts as a 4-year-old.

"I have never seen Miki And Minnie give up," said Ryder, praising the winner for her resilience.