Treboh Joe Without Peer; He Fails to Win for 167th Time in a Row

Treboh Joe, who last month set a record for futility by a North American race horse, made world history Friday night.

The 9-year-old pacer failed to win for the 167th consecutive race. He finished fourth, earning his owner $105 from the betting pool and himself a spot in harness racing’s record book.

Treboh Joe finished the mile in 2:02 4/5, two full seconds behind the winner. It was Joe’s best time of the summer. “I won’t give up because in each race you go out, you have a chance to win,” said Willie Mitchell Jr., Treboh Joe’s owner and driver.

Treboh Joe set the national losing mark of 162 consecutive races on July 10. He finished fourth to gain a piece of the purse but hadn’t earned a paycheck since. Last Friday, he tied the world record set by New Express, who ran in Australia and New Zealand from 1977-84.

Mitchell has owned Treboh Joe since Dec. 25, 1990, when he received him as a present from his employer, Walter Cohen. He is the horse’s fifth owner and probably the last. Mitchell treats Joe more like a pet. “I’m sure there are people who think he should be retired now,” Mitchell said before the race. “But he likes to run. He’s not lame, so at least he has a chance.”