Delaware County Fair: Plunge Blue Chip smashes world record in Miss Versatility final

Plunge Blue Chip lowered the world record for a mare trotter on a half-mile track to 1:51 3/5 in a dominating win in the $87,500 Miss Versatility Series final on Thursday afternoon at the Delaware County Fair. That was also the fastest race mile ever trotted on a half-mile oval, just missing Cash Hall's time trial mark of 1:51 1/5 by two-fifths of a second.

Driven by trainer Ake Svanstedt, Plunge Blue Chip darted to the front from post two and put Manchego (Dexter Dunn) into the pocket before the 27 second opening quarter. Manchego couldn't navigate around the second turn without making a break, and when she went out of contention, Plunge Blue Chip was racing pretty much against just the clock. She rolled on to the half in 54 4/5 and the three-quarters in 1:22 3/5, opening up a big lead on the rest of the field, then coasted home in 29 seconds to win by 5 1/4 lengths over Pure Chance (Scott Zeron). Grand Swan (Lewayne Miller) got third.

The previous world record for an older mare on a half-mile track had 1:52 3/5, set by Barn Girl in 2018 at Northfield Park. It also bettered 4-year-old Maven's 1:51 4/5 mark taken in the Miss Versatility Series final in 2013.

"I have tried before, but even if I open up fast the first quarter, (Dunn) comes," Svanstedt said about racing against Manchego. Today, I showed the whip, and I think Dexter understood that I wanted to drive in the front. She did it on her own. I didn't feel her pick up the speed after the first quarter, but it's good that I didn't feel the speed in the horse.

"It had been a while since she raced without shoes. That made her faster."

Svanstedt also co-owns Plunge Blue Chip, a 5-year-old daughter of Muscle Mass, with breeder Blue Chip Bloodstock Inc. and their partner Tomas Andersson. This was her 22nd career win, and she has now earned $1,436,376. She paid $4.60 to win as the second choice.