by Mike Sardella, for Saratoga Casino and Raceway

Saratoga Springs, NY — Artmagic (Art Major-Sammy’s Magic Girl) set a track record for 2-year-old gelding pacers on Thursday (Oct. 1) at Saratoga Casino and Raceway as he scored in the $45,000 co-featured New York Sire Stakes Excelsior Series final.

Melissa Simser photo

Artmagic was a winner in a track record time of 1:54.1.

The Trond Smedshammer-trained freshman sat the pocket and pounced in the stretch with Jim Morrill Jr. in the sulky. Morrill piloted Artmagic to his first career victory just two weeks ago at Saratoga and followed it up with a lifetime best and track record-setting performance on Thursday as he stopped the timer in 1:54.1.

Morrill drove another track record-setter on Thursday as the veteran reinsman sat behind upset winner Boxall (Credit Winner-Vallaire) in the Excelsior final for freshman trotting colts. The Jessica Okusko-trained Boxall, dismissed at odds of 15-1, came from off the pace to record his win in 1:58.1, a track record for 2-year-old trotting colts.

Outsidecourt (Conway Court-Getaway Cheyenne) upset the big favorite in the 2-year-old trotting filly division of the Excelsior finals. The freshman filly charged past the favorite Fad Finance to prevail in 1:58.4 for trainer Gary Messenger and reinsman Bruce Aldrich Jr.

Lyra (American Ideal-Hypnotize) scored in the Excelsior final for freshman filly pacers, winning on the front end for driver John Cummings Jr. and conditioner Jean Drolet. Lyra’s fifth victory of the campaign came in 1:56.

Live racing continues on Friday night at Saratoga with first post time set for 6:45 p.m.