Plunge Blue Chip returned to town Monday night, having missed 29 days with a scratch-sick in between. She was quite healthy, which in turn made her rivals very ill.
Perfect Plunge Blue Chip (Ake Svanstedt, $2.30) expunged Barn Bella from Yonkers Raceway’s track records, highlighting the $157,000 New York Sire Stakes Pat Quaglietta Trot for two-year-old fillies.
Three divisions—at $52,000, $52,000 and $53,00, respectively—comprised the event, with the starlet also serving as the opening act.
Away third from post position No. 2, Plunge Blue Chip watched as Perfect Summer K (Brian Sears) gave her backers an early (:29, :59) thrill. Moving toward the 1:28.1 three-quarters, ‘Plunge’ engaged the leader, who offered no resistance.
Plunge Blue Chip slapped a six-pack of lengths entering the lane, gearing down to win by 9-3/4 lengths in that new Westchester standard of 1:56.2, which is a full second faster than ‘Bella’ from a season ago. A Thing Goin On (Brett Miller) was second, with Sevenbuyeleven (Jordan Stratton) third.
For Plunge Blue Chip, a Muscle Mass miss co-owned by her driver/trainer and (breeder) Blue Chip Bloodstock, she’s now 5-for-5 to begin her career.
“She had a cough (reason for Monticello NYSS scratch) and the time off before this race helped her,” Svanstedt said.
Driver/trainer doubled-up in the second statebred soiree, but at least this was a fair fight.
Lucky Ava, from post No. 5, went the distance (:30.1, 1:00.3, 1:29.4, life-best 1:59.2) She held off pocket-sitting Setntheworldonfire (Andy McCarthy) by three-quarters of a length. White Cheetah (Mark MacDonald) was a first-up third.
For ‘Ava,’ a Lucky Chucky lass co-owned by Svanstedt, Little E LLC and Van Camp Trotting, it was her fourth win in seven seasonal starts.
The final Quaglietta contest saw odds-on Supergirl Riley (Marcus Miller, $3.90) dispose of her six inside foes in down-the-road (:28, :58.1, 1:28.4, 1:58) fashion by 2-3/4 lengths over Fury Road (McCarthy). Lucky Rainbow (Brian Sears) was third.
For ‘Riley,’ a daughter of Muscle Mass trained by Erv Miller for co-owners Paymaq Racing, Harvey Eisman and George Golemes, it was her fourth win in seven ’17 tries.
This race completed a very popular all-odds-on Pick 5, which returned a season-low $22.12 for every correct 50-cent wager.
(Yonkers)