Delaware County Fair: Bluebird Dove flies to world record in Buckette

Bluebird Dove soared in a 1:52 2/5 world record effort in the $91,500 Buckette for 3-year-old filly trotters on Wednesday afternoon at the Delaware County Fair.

Piloted by Peter Wrenn, Bluebird Dove swung out of third before the 27 1/5 opening quarter and worked her way around Disclosure (Tim Tetrick) to take over the top spot on the second turn. Bluebird Dove would go on to hit the half in 56 1/5, with favored Valentina Blu (Joe Bongiorno) going first-up from fourth coming to that station.

Valentina Blu got the cold shoulder from Bluebird Dove through a 1:24 1/5 three-quarters and then faded from contention late on the final bend, leaving Bluebird Dove and Disclosure to decide the victory. Disclosure tipped out and had dead-aim at Bluebird Dove through the stretch, but it was to no avail, as Bluebird Dove held sway by a length. Valentina Blu ended up third.

The time of 1:52 2/5 knocked a fifth of a second off the previous world record for a sophomore trotting filly on a half-mile track set by Herculisa on September 5 of last year at Northfield.

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"She had a good feel in the first turn when I scored her. That was the only time she had been any speed at all," Wrenn said. "I thought she handled the turn well. I had a lot confidence in her. She's a very smart filly and classy."

Melanie Wrenn trains Bluebird Dove, a daughter of Swan For All bred by Daryl Miller, for owners David McDuffee and L&L Devisser LLC. Unraced as a 2-year-old, Bluebird Dove has a record of 6-2-3 from 13 attempts in 2022, has now banked $173,206, and paid $7.60 to win as a 5-2 shot.