Last year’s New York Sire Stakes champion Courts On Fire picked up where he left off from his superstar freshman campaign in his New York return on Sunday, May 25 at Saratoga Raceway.

The Blake MacIntosh trainee posted a career-best 1:52.2 score in the first of two $117,123  New York Sire Stakes divisions for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Courts On Fire cruised on the engine for driver Brett Beckwith to record a 2-1/4-length victory over Fast Choice (Jim Devaux) and Holt Hanover (Mark MacDonald). 

MacIntosh owns the Courtly Choice-Ashlees Spitfire colt, now a career winner of $333,722, with Tim Klemencic of Trenton, Ont., Daniel Plouffe of Bromont, Que., and Pennsylvania's Hutt Racing Stable.

Courts On Fire is ranked among the top 20 sophomore pacers eligible to the North America Cup in TROT Magazine's Spring Book.

The other  New York Sire Stakes division went the way of the season-debuting Thirsty Thursday, who also stopped the timer in 1:52.2 with Tyler Buter driving for trainer Hunter Oakes and Pennsylvania owners Flying A Racing Stable and Chuck Pompey. Full Metal Jacket (Devaux) finished 1-3/4 lengths behind in second and Red Blooded (Wally Hennessey) was third.

The Huntsville-Tequila Monday gelding, who won half of his eight starts as a freshman, now has $372,016 in career earnings.

Sunday's afternoon card also included five $27,397 divisions of the New York Excelsior Series, which were won by Cigar Smoking Joe in 1:55.4 with Chris Long driving for trainer Scott Blackler; Invictus and Buter in 1:54.2 for Oakes; Digging For Gold and Beckwith in 1:53.1 for the George Ducharme stable; Mr Huggins in 1:54.2 for trainer/driver Larry Stalbaum; and Seafood Neighneigh in 1:55.3 for in rein to Hennessey for conditioner Nicholas Vamvilis.

(Saratoga Casino Hotel & Standardbred Canada)