Plunge Blue Chip is impressive in Miss Versatility final
September 19, 2019,Delaware, OH — Plunge Blue Chip won the $100,000 Miss Versatility Series final for older female trotters by a half-length over Emoticon Hanover in 1:52.1 on Thursday (Sept. 19) at the Delaware County Fairgrounds. Custom Cantab finished third.
Ake Svanstedt guided the 4-year-old mare to victory, taking the lead after the first turn and remaining on top despite pressure from Custom Cantab following the half-mile point. Custom Cantab pulled even with Plunge Blue Chip at three- quarters but the 1-2 favorite rebuffed the challenge on the final turn and held off a pylon-skimming bid in the stretch from Emoticon Hanover.
“She was great today and it was a big mile, (1):52, on the half-mile track,” said Svanstedt, who also trains Plunge Blue Chip. “Her last three races she’s felt good and I hope she can still race good this year.
“I had a lot of horse in my lines (in the stretch) so I wasn’t worried,” he added.
The win was Plunge Blue Chip’s second in nine races this season and pushed her 2019 earnings to $169,950. She has two wins sandwiching a second-place finish by a head in her most recent three races. For her career, the mare has won 19 of 35 starts and $1.17 million.
Plunge Blue Chip, by Muscle Mass out of Dunk The Donato, is owned by Ake Svanstedt Inc., Blue Chip Bloodstock, and Tomas Andersson. She was bred by Blue Chip Bloodstock.