pine chip
On October 1, 1994, Pine Chip became the "World's Fastest Trotter" with a 1:51 time-trial at the Red Mile driven by Hall of Famer John Campbell.
Bred by KMW Farms of Bethel, Pennsylvania and sold at the Harrisburg Sale for $17,000, Pine Chip was a bargain for yearling buyers Neal Goldman and Chuck Sylvester. Pine Chip was unraced at two due to an injury. However, at three, he won 16 of 24 races and was the leading money-winning trotter of 1993 with $1,363,483. He earned Trotter of the Year and Three-Year-Old Colt Trotter honors. This leading moneywinning trotter won the American-National with an all-age track record of 1:55.3, Beacon Course Trot in a season's and stakes record 1:53.4, and the Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt Trot at Pompano Park with a season's record 1:54.2f. Pine Chip set a stakes record and two-heat world record in the Kentucky Futurity of 1:52.4 and 1:52.3 over rival American Winner. Other major stakes won by Pine Chip were the Pennsylvania Sire Stake, Historic Cup, Matron Stake, Colonial Trot, Transylvania Stake and the Keystone Classic.
Pine Chip, as a four-year-old, won Trotting Horse of the Year and his second Trotter of the Year title. His seven victories in ten starts included Nat Ray, an elimination heat of the Elitlopp in Sweden, and the Breeders Crown for age three and up open trot at Freehold Raceway. This son of Arndon set a world record of 1:52.4 for a four-year-old on a mile track and 1:54 all-age record on Delaware, Ohio's half-mile track, breaking Mack Lobell's 1988 half-mile track record by 2 full seconds.
Most importantly that same year, history was made in Lexington with Pine Chip's 1:51 time-trial. Fractions of :27.3, :55.2, 1:23.1 and a last quarter in :27.4 were clocked for this historic mile. Trainer Sylvester was quoted, "Pure and simple, Pine Chip is the best I have ever trained." John Campbell, who also drove Mack Lobell, stated, "I am convinced Pine Chip could have beaten any trotter in the world - including Mack Lobell."
At the end of his racing career Pine Chip was syndicated for over $200,000 and stood at Castleton Farm in Lexington, Kentucky for six breeding seasons before being exported.
Pine Chip has also found success in breeding. His offspring have won over $20 million, a total which continues to grow as Pine Chip is still an active sire. He currently has sired 43 $100,000 winners. His foals have won many of trotting's most prestigious stakes races, including the biggest race of them all, the Hambletonian. Pine Chip sired back-to-back winners, Scarlet Knight in 2001 and Chip Chip Hooray in 2002.
Pine Chip died in December 2019 at Broline Stud in Sweden at the age of 29.
Published in the Harness Racing Museum's 2004 Souvenir Journal