Tioga: Twin B Joe Fresh leads Empire Breeders Classic winners

New York-sired horses were the main attraction on Sunday afternoon at Tioga Downs, as the 15-race program contained a pair of Empire Breeders Classic (EBC) clashes for 3-year-old pacers of both sexes, and a couple of sire stakes showdowns for rookie pacing fillies.

Twin B Joe Fresh (Dexter Dunn) didn't disappoint in the second $107,000 EBC for the fillies, delivering in 1:51 3/5. She got to the front from post three, was kindly-rated through panels of 27 3/5, 57 3/5 and 1:25 4/5, and sprinted home in 25 4/5 to defeat pocket-sitter Earthwindfire (Jack Pelling) by 3 1/2 lengths. Windsun Tiara (Mike Merton) collected third.

Trainer Chris Ryder also co-owns Twin B Joe Fresh, a daughter of Roll With Joe bred by Brittany Farms, with Dunn and their partners Peter Trebotica and Barry Spak. This was her 14th win from 19 lifetime starts, she has now earned $965,248, and she paid $2.10 to win as the 1-9 favorite.

Vivians Dream (Wally Hennessey) angled out of the pocket on the final bend and got up in the lane to win the first EBC for the ladies in 1:52. She defeated a rallying Sweet Cheyanne (Marcus Miller) by half a length, and Light And Tight (Dunn), who took the lead from first-up beyond the 1:23 2/5 three-quarters, ended up third.

Owned by Forrest Bartlett and conditioned by Kevin Lare, Vivians Dream, an American Ideal filly, has now won nine of 24 career starts and boosted her bankroll to $578,826. The Winbak Farm-bred returned $15.00 to win as a 6-1 offering.

Huntinthelastdolar (Hennessey) and Thunder Hunter Joe (Tyler Buter) won the EBCs for colts and geldings in front-end fashion. Huntinthelastdolar put up fractions of 27 3/5, 56 4/5 and 1:23 4/5 in his $117,750 grouping and slammed the door in a 27 1/5 final kicker to scored by a length over Peppermint Man (Matt Kakaley), while Thunder Hunter Joe reached the quarter in 27 2/5, the half in 55 2/5, the three-quarters in 1:22 3/5 and the wire in 1:50 3/5 in his $119,000 contest. He downed Goldin Greatness (Jason Bartlett) by a length.

Gregg McNair trains and also co-owns Huntinthelastdolar, a Huntsville gelding bred by Crawford Farms, with partners George Kerr and Brad Grant. Huntinthelastdolar has compiled a summary of 7-3-0 from 16 efforts, has now put away $345,161 and paid $3.10 to win as the 1-2 favorite.

A Huntsville gelding bred by Heather Zitone, Thunder Hunter Joe is trained by Nick Devita for owners David Hamm, Glenn Phillips, Christopher Giaccio and Devita Racing Stable Inc. This was his sixth career triumph, he has pocketed $268,716, and he returned $4.00 to win as the even-money choice.

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First-over tactics worked for both Leanne's Choice (Marcus Miller) and Sea Pearl (Dunn) in their respective $52,500 New York Sire Stakes races. Leanne's Choice wore down leader Camerican (Jordan Stratton) in deep stretch for the win by half a length in 1:53 2/5, and Sea Pearl was able to forge her way by Hunting Hula (Pat Lachance) in the lane en route to a one length decision over Peace Talks (Bartlett) in a 1:54 4/5 mile.

From the first crop of Courtly Choice, Leanne's Choice was bred by Winbak Farm and is trained by Erv Miller, who also co-owns the $52,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase with partners Ron Michelon and Doug Overhiser. Leanne's Choice is a three-time winner from five appearances, has put $66,359 in the bank and paid $18.00 to win as an 8-1 shot.

Bred by owner Brittany Farms, Sea Pearl was sent out by trainer Linda Toscano. Sea Pearl, by American Ideal, also has three victories from five tries, has stashed away $73,329 and returned $7.60 to win as the 5-2 third choice.