by Joe Hartmann, for Plainridge Racecourse

Maltese Artist, rebounding from an eighth place effort in the Breeders Crown elimination at Mohawk, got a stellar drive from former New Englander Bruce Ranger and set a all-age track record Monday afternoon with a 1:49.2 win in the $50,000 Bert Beckwith Memorial Pace at Plainridge Racecourse.

Trained by Mickey Burke, Maltese Artist, owned by George Leon, John Howard and James Koran, eclipsed the previous track record of 1:49.3. That record had been originally been set on August 26. 2000 by Spece Shuttle and Walter Case Jr. That mark had been tied a year ago by Mike MacDonald as he drove Chewy Gross on September 6.

Ranger, the winningest driver in Pompano Park history and a native of Maine, made his first Beckwith Day appearance a memorable one. In addition to the Beckwith, Ranger had three other winners on the Beckwith Day card. Ranger scored with Snoopy N Red Baron in the James Hogan Pace and Married Bliss in a claiming pace.

With more than 6,000 career victories, his horses have earned more then $21 million in purses.

Ranger completed his grand slam by driving and Robert Killian’s Mighty Moses to victory in the co-feature on the card, the $20,000 Ron Pasquantonio Memorial Trot.