Plunge Blue Chip went gate to wire to win the $100,000 Ms. Versatility Trot Final in 1:52 1/5 Thursday afternoon at the Delaware County Fair.
The winner rebuffed a Custom Cantab (Aaron Merriman) challenge and a rail skimming Emoticon Hanover (Daniel Dube) to score the half-length win.
Ake Svanstedt drives, trains and co-owns the winner with Blue Chip Bloodstock and Tomas Andersson.
Plunge Blue Chip, a four-year-old mare, has won $1.173 million with her 19th-career win.
Wiggle It Jiggleit returns to action
The 2015 Little Brown Jug and ‘Horse of the Year,” Wiggle It Jiggleit (Montrell Teague) returned to the track off a nearly three-year layoff due to back issues, but the storybook return came up 3 ¼ lengths short as Celestial Arden N (Brian Sears) collared the pacesetting Wiggle It Jiggleit to score in 1:51 2/5.
The winner is owned and trained by Ned Hodkinson.
Wiggle It Jiggleit, now a 7-year-old, was timed in 1:52.
Old Oaken Bucket three-year-old colt trot
Osterc survived a late Mass Fortune K (Matt Kakaley) to score a neck victory in the $95,425 Old Oaken Bucket in 1:54 4/5.
Yannick Gingras drove the Cantab Hall-Oh Oh Hereshecomes colt, who was bred by owners Christina Takter and Goran Falk.
Osterc scored for the ninth time in 20 career starts and now has $453,030 in career earnings.
Standardbred two-year-old colt pace
Tru Lou and driver Matt Kakaley took the $48,100 Standardbred two-year-old colt pace in 1:55 2/5.
The winner sprinted past his stablemate Complete Kaos (Yannick Gingras) and scored a decisive 5 ½-length win. Complete Kaos was another 3 ¾ lengths ahead of third place Caviart Revere (David Miller).
Ron Burke trains the Sweet Lou gelding for Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services, Slaughter Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi.
Standardbred two-year-old colt trot
Andy Miller guided Worthy Of Honor to a gate-to-wire win over Moveoutofmyway K (Mike Wilder) and Altus Hanover (David Miller) to win the $47,100 trot.
The final time of 1:56 4/5 equaled her lifetime mark.
Julie Miller conditions the Cantab Hall colt for the Andy Miller Stable, J.A. Goehlen and Louis Willinger.
Ohio Breeders Championships
Gold Digger King (Brian Sears) scored an upset win in the first $54,600 division in 1:51 4/5 over Native’s Sweet Lou (Dan Noble).
Paying $41.20 to win, Gold Digger King is owned by Linda Van Camp and trained by Scott Mogan.
Rock Candy (Ron Wrenn, Jr.) prevailed in the second elimination with a 1:51 4/5 win over Bllack Hole (Tyler Smith) and Yankee Boots.
Rock Candy is trained by Brian Brown for long-time clients Country Club Acres, Joe Scrocco and Richard Lombardo.
Both winners were sired by Pet Rock.
Three-year-old filly pace
Twinsburg (Yannick Gingras) was the beneficiary of quick early fractions and rallied to defeat a closing Queen Of The Pride (Tony Hall) to win the $100,000 event.
The winning time of 1:53 was a new lifetime mark for the McArdle filly.
Twinsburg was recently purchased by Mark S. Ford and is trained by Jim Pollock, Jr.
Queen Of The Pride was disqualified and placed ninth due to interference. Avaline Hanover (Mike Wilder) and Rose Run Uptowngal (Matt Kakaley) were elevated to the place and show spots, respectively.
Two-year-old colt pace
The undefeated Elver Hanover (Chris Page) kept his career slate clean with a gutsy win in the second of two $64,200 divisions.
The Yankee Cruiser gelding defeated Stanford Court (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) by a length in 1:52 3/5.
Elver Hanover is now a perfect 7-for-7 and has earned $288,600 for Burke Racing Stable, Dr. Bridgette Jablonsky, Jason Melillo and J&T Silva-Purnel-Libby.
Mr D’s Rock (Aaron Merriman) overcame a tough trip and held off the upset-minded Big Bretta (Dan Noble) in 1:55 2/5 to take the first division.
The Pet Rock gelding is trained by Steve Carter for Tammy Carter, Debra Carsey, Scp Stable and Peggy Carter.
Mr D’s Rock’s earnings now sit at $108,565 thanks to the win.
