Red Mile: Favorites rally to take Bluegrass tests for 2YO pacing fillies

Twin B Joe Fresh and Strong Poison, the first- and second-place finishers in the recent Kentucky Championship Series final, were victorious in the pair of Bluegrass Series clashes for 2-year-old pacing fillies on Thursday afternoon at The Red Mile.

Hungry For Love (David Miller) took the lead after the 28 3/5 opening quarter in the first $141,000 division. She kept the top spot through a 57 2/5 half and a 1:25 3/5 three-quarters, but Twin B Joe Fresh (Dexter Dunn), who stepped out first-up from fourth on the final bend, surged into the lead before the fillies turned for home and then powered away in a 25 2/5 last quarter, winning by 6 1/4 lengths in 1:51 1/5. Zanatta (Joe Bongiorno) was the runner-up and Hungry For Love held third.

A Roll With Joe-Fresh Breeze filly bred by Brittany Farms, Twin B Joe Fresh is trained by Chris Ryder, and he also shares ownership of her with Dunn, Peter Trebotica, and Barry Spak. Acquired for $65,000 at the 2021 Standardbred Horse Sale, she has put away $534,912 to go with a 7-2-0 record from nine efforts, and she returned $2.10 to win as the 1-9 favorite.

"She's been beaten twice - it's kind of a funny thing - but she just does almost anything we've ever asked of her, and today was nothing different," Ryder said after the race. "She's just got a big engine and is a beautiful filly."

Ryder added that Twin B Joe Fresh has only one start remaining in her campaign, which will come next week at The Red Mile. She wasn't paid into the Breeders Crown.

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The other $142,000 tilt saw Diamondsnpearls (Todd McCarthy) chop out fractions of 28, 56 3/5, and 1:24, but she would give way in the lane to pocket-sitter Vivians Dream (Brian Sears). Vivians Dream dug in gamely after taking command, but she couldn't hold off Strong Poison (Yannick Gingras), who rallied widest after following dull cover from second-over and got up in time to score by a neck in 1:51 3/5. Light And Tight (D. Miller) finished third.

The victorious daughter of Always B Miki-Fiyonce bred by Steve Stewart, Charles Nash, and Julie Nash is trained by Ron Burke for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., J&T Silva Stables, LLC., Knox Services Inc., and Beasty LLC. A $50,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale buy last year, she has five wins from nine starts, earnings of $315,000, and returned $3.38 to win as the chalk.

--quote courtesy of Ray Cotolo--