by Mike Sardella, for Saratoga

Saratoga, NY — Two consolations for 2-year-old trotters took center stage at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Thursday evening (Sept. 29) as several New York Sire Stakes horses wrapped up their stakes campaign. Top Flight Angel (Archangel-Top Photo) and Teasin N Pleasin (Cr Excalibur-Bronteaser) emerged victorious, each setting a lifetime mark on Thursday in their $50,000 New York Sire Stakes consolations.

Melissa Simser-Iovino photo

Top Flight Angel set a new lifetime mark of 1:58.1 in his triumph at Saratoga in a NYSS consolation.

Top Flight Angel and driver John Cummings Jr. closed up the passing lane to edge out the favored Another Chapter (Jim Morrill Jr) in the colt and gelding final. The Megan Wilson trained trotter set a lifetime mark of 1:58.1 in what was the second victory in his freshman campaign. Jeff Gregory picked up the catch drive behind the Tom Corelli trained Teasin N Pleasin who secured the win in the 2-year-old filly consolation. The freshman highstepper scored for the fifth time in eight 2016 tries and did so in a career best 1:59.

There were also four Excelsior Series finals for 2-year-olds which each went for a purse of $45,000. Percy’s Z Tam (American Ideal-Mintjulep Bluechip) and trainer-driver Pat Lachance scored in the colt and gelding pace final while Barn Winner (Credit Winner-Hallmarker T) and Jeff Gregory scored in the trot final for colts and geldings. The filly finals were both won by reinsman Stephane Bouchard as Royal Oaks (Rc Royalty-Mystical Oaks) bested the freshman trotting fillies and Pirinhea’s Princess (Roll With Joe– Chant-a-nuka) went last to first in the 2-year-old filly pace final.

Live racing continues at Saratoga on Friday (Sept. 30) with a first post time set for 6:45 p.m.