Soft Shot delivers as stable continues hot run

Trainer Jaymes McAssey and young reinsman Kyle Swift have been a dynamic duo in the first two months of the harness racing season at Saratoga Casino Hotel.

McAssey, who has finished in the top three in the trainer standings on a few occasions, has made Swift his regular driver this season and together they have thrived. On Sunday afternoon, Swift piloted a hat trick for McAssey highlighted by a win in the matinee’s featured race.

Soft Shot (Heston Blue Chip) drew post seven for her Sunday try in the $16,500 Fillies and Mares Open.

Swift found an early spot with the talented distaffer who hit the board in four of her first six starts in the local Open heading into her most recent try. Soft Shot came first-over on invader Laurie Lee (Jimmy Devaux) who set honest fractions of 27.3 and 57.3 in the first half.

Behind a powerful back-stretch blitz, the McAssey trainee wore down the leader and imposed her will around the final turn before drawing away to win by two and three-quarter lengths.

Over a track labeled ‘good’, Soft Shot stopped the timer in 1:54.4 for her second Open score since coming to town this season.

SOFT SHOT REPLAY

Custard Dolce (Jacob Cutting), who won back-to-back Opens coming into Sunday’s try, got away eighth in the eight-horse feature before motoring home late to finish second to her co-favored 8-5 shot Soft Shot. Laurie Lee held on to finish third.

The victory in the Open was one of three for the McAssey-Swift combo as their Mindbodyandsoul and Cyclone Sister each recorded wire-to-wire wins on the card.

McAssey sits second in the current trainer standings for 2026 while Swift finished up the weekend in third among local drivers on the season. 

Live racing continues on Monday afternoon with first post time set for 12pm.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Mike Sardella, for Saratoga Raceway