Meadowlands: Plunge Blue Chip completes historic night for Svanstedt with another world record

Plunge Blue Chip gave trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt his second world record of the evening when she captured the second $128,500 Del Miler Memorial for sophomore trotting fillies at the Meadowlands on Saturday night. The New York-sired daughter of Muscle Mass gamely wore down Manchego in the final stride, posting a 1:49 4/5 clocking, the fastest by a 3-year-old of either sex and equalling the all-age Meadowlands track mark set by J L Cruze.

Plunge Blue Chip settled in fourth early in the event as Live Laugh Love and Manchego sprinted early, with the latter assuming control through the 27 2/5 opening quarter. Yannick Gingras kept the pace lively with Manchego, passing the half in 54 3/5 and hitting three-quarters in 1:22 1/5 with Plunge Blue Chip and Svanstedt on the attack from first-over.

Manchego was put to a solid urge by Gingras, but Plunge Blue Chip kept shadowing her through the entire stretch, and put her nose in front right on the wire to get the record. Manchego was a game second, losing for the second time during her brilliant career, with Live Love Laugh a distant third.

Plunge Blue Chip, sent off as the 2-1 second choice, won for the third time this year in five starts. She's owned by Ake Svanstedt Stable, Blue Chip Bloodstock, Rick Zeron Stable and Tomas Andersson.

"She's a good horse," said Svanstedt. "She hasn't raced on the big tracks."

It was the first ever encounter between the two brilliant fillies, with Plunge Blue Chip a winner in nine of 10 starts as a freshman and Manchego going undefeated in 12 starts as a freshman.

Phaetosive and driver Trond Smedshammer captured the first $128,500 Del Miller Memorial division in a personal-best 1:51 3/5 mile. The daughter of Explosive Matter got away third as Perfect Summer K left hard inside of her and What A Knockout assumed the front before the 28 second opening panel.

What A Knockout carved out a half in 56 1/5 before Smedshammer edged his mare to the outside to challenge without cover. Phaetosive easily disposed of the leader through a three-quarter clocked in 1:24 4/5, and then put on the jets, kicking home in :26 4/5 to compete her mile. Perfect Summer K edged clear and held gamely for second, with Hey Blondie getting the third spot in the field of seven.

Sent off as the 4-5 favorite, Phaetosive won for the second time in three starts this season for owner Purple Haze Stables LLC.

"I've never won the Del Miller before," said Smedshammer. "I've won a few Stanley Dancer Memorials. She'll be off now until the Oaks Eliminations (July 28)."