There are rivalries and then there are Rivalries.

On Friday, the sport will get one of its last opportunities to see two of the great champions of our or any time on display in the $421,000 Breeders Crown Open Pace at The Meadowlands, race seven on a 13-race card. With the $50,000 supplemental entry of Wiggle It Jiggleit necessary to make the event possible, the 2015 Horse of the Year will meet newly crowned world champion Always B Miki on the mile track stage.

While Wiggle It Jiggleit has been spanning the North American globe for much of the year, Always B Miki has put together a more purposeful campaign that most recently included a victory in the Allerage at The Red Mile in a record-shattering 1:46 clocking.

While all things are certainly not equal, there are great similarities between the two titans that will face off on Friday. Though Always B Miki is a year older than his 4-year-old rival, the two have almost the exact racing experience. Always B Miki makes his 52nd career start while Wiggle It Jiggleit will race for the 51st time competitively.

There's enormous respect between the two camps that has come as the two warriors have met and battled in some of the most epic events this sport has witnessed in the last few decades.

Always B Miki and trainer Jimmy Takter look to take the Breeders Crown this weekend. Derick Giwner Photo

"I think my horse is just a little bit tougher," said Jimmy Takter when asked to compare the two. "I think Wiggle It Jiggleit has been the healthier of the two and that's allowed him to race more often."

"What's unbelievable is that Always B Miki actually warmed up better on Friday [October 21] than he did before the race in Kentucky [when he paced in 1:46]."

Soundness is always a concern in a sport that asks so much of its equine talent and two years ago at the end of his 3-year-old season Always B Miki, then a supplement to the Breeders Crown at The Meadowlands, suffered an injury that kept him out of the race and out of action for a considerable time. Takter was given the horse to train and purchased an interest, but even so the comeback has been a long one.

This year it's Wiggle It Jiggleit on the supplemental side of the equation as owner George Teague wrestled with the idea prior to his victory in the $250,000 Invitational win at Yonkers on October 15. The wrestling match ended rather quickly after Wiggle It Jiggleit dominated his rivals and added another $125,000 to the ever-growing bank account of the son of Mr Wiggles.

As in all rivalries, those on the outside often point to the youth of driver Montrell

Teague behind Wiggle It Jiggleit versus the experience and Hall of Fame credentials of David Miller piloting Always B Miki. For the most part the two have driven exceptionally well against each other, employing sound logic and strategy to give their horses the best opportunity.

Takter was in fact critical of Miller's strategy the last time Always B Miki raced against Wiggle It Jiggleit in the Dayton Pacing Derby on September 30. "I had no idea what he was thinking," said Takter about Miller's decision to come up slowly without cover and provide the perfect tow for his rival.

"Afterwards David told me that every time he chose to go at an accelerated clip to the three quarters Always B Miki beat Wiggle It Jiggleit and every time they went slower Wiggle It Jiggleit won," said Takter, suggesting that looking forward we shouldn't expect a slow pace and a sprint home on Friday.

As with any horses that can pace in 1:47 or better, fractions are always a consideration. This year Always B Miki has paced past the three quarters in 1:22 or better 10 times in his 16 starts. More impressive is that he's broken the 1:20 mark on 4 occasions this year winning each time he's gassed the competition.

Without doubt, Wiggle It Jiggleit has enough speed to track and defeat Always B Miki. Perhaps the biggest difference between the two comes on half-mile tracks where Always B Miki has been a no-show and Wiggle It Jiggleit has shown that sub-1:22 three-quarter speed. Overall, Wiggle It Jiggleit's has 20 races of his 50 with a 1:22 or better three quarter clocking while Always B Miki totaled 18, with just 8 of those coming prior to his 5-year-old season.

What has made the 2016 rivalry between Always B Miki and Wiggle It Jiggleit so special has a lot to do with the people behind the horses. While each horse has unique abilities, it was up to each team to keep them honed and ready for battle. That each has reached Friday's race in incredible condition is a testament to the care they receive.

The consistency and excellence of both horses pretty much assures those in attendance and those watching on television another epic confrontation. Always B Miki and Wiggle It Jiggleit have never let down their connections and are not likely to let down the fans of this sport when they meet for the Crown on Friday.