The Blake MacIntosh-trained Courtly Choice, by Art Major, matched the track record for two-year-old pacing colts on Wednesday night (August 2) at Saratoga Casino Hotel as he prevailed impressively in New York Sire Stakes competition.
MacIntosh brought Courtly Choice south to compete in New York for the first time and the freshman had the daunting task of overcoming Post 8 in his debut in stakes competition. Mark Macdonald piloted the two-year-old and wound up pulling him first over after having found a spot mid-pack in the early going.
Courtly Choice overpowered the race’s favourite before kicking away late to win in 1:53.1, a time that matched the track record set for freshmen in NYSS competition in 2015 by Joe Larry Curly. Courtly Choice was dismissed at odds of 17-1 and returned a hearty $37.40 to win in his $42,205 NYSS division.
Courtly Choice, pictured victorious on Wednesday, August 3, 2017 during NYSS action at Saratoga Casino Hotel (Photo courtesy Saratoga Casino Hotel)
Locally-based gelding Jersey Jim, by Artiscape, was another that soared to a first-over victory in NYSS competition on Wednesday. The Perry Simser-trained freshman scored in 1:54.1 with Jimmy Devaux in the sulky.
First over was the ‘trip de jour’ on Wednesday, as Jimtastic, by Art Major, was yet another NYSS winner to score via the first-over journey. The Andrew Harris-trained two-year-old cruised to an open-length victory in 1:54.1 with Jason Bartlett in the sulky.
Of the four winners of the $42,025 divisions on Wednesday, only Paprike Blue Chip, by Roll With Joe, prevailed with a journey other than first over. The John Butenschoen trainee parlayed a pocket trip to his first career NYSS score, as he stopped the timer in 1:55 with Jim Morrill Jr. sitting behind.
Live racing at Saratoga will resume on Friday night with a first-race post time of 7:05 p.m.
(Saratoga Casino Hotel)