Ambushed (Always B Miki) made her local debut a winning one on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Cory Stratton-trained distaffer was the public’s 3-5 betting favorite for her first try in the $16,500 Fillies and Mares Open. Brett Beckwith took the lines to sit behind Ambushed as the Yonkers invader came off the gate quickly to secure the early lead moving unopposed in a first half of 57.1 and confidently paced past three quarters in 1:26. The six year old, who was a twelve-time winner in 2025, held strong throughout before stopping the timer in 1:55 while feeling just mild pressure in the stretch from pocket-sitting Laurie Lee (Jimmy Devaux) who wound up as the runner-up in the feature for the ladies after coming up a half-length short. Swedish Starlet N (Matt Athearn) finished third. Ambushed, who is owned by Caldwell Mamie Racing LLC, win was her second of the season.

Live racing continues on Monday with a matinee that starts at 12pm.

Trainer Jaymes McAssey and young reinsman Kyle Swift have been a dynamic duo in the first two months of the 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. 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.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Custard Dolce moved her record to two-for-two at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Sunday afternoon as the Jackie Greene trainee went back-to-back in the Fillies and Mares Open. The four-year-old made her Spa debut last Sunday (March 8) in the $16,500 ladies’ feature and put in a late surge to score in the Open for distaffers. This week, Custard Dolce was the even-money favorite in the feature and driver Jacob Cutting was content to sit back in the early going with her. The fractions in the early going were fairly soft and after a half mile in 58.1, Custard Dolce made her move. Behind an impressive backstretch blitz, Custard Dolce surged got past the leader to open up a convincing lead past three quarters in 1:26.3. The Greene trainee wound up pacing a back-half in 55 seconds en route to a score in 1:54.1. Soft Shot (Kyle Swift) came from last in the five-horse feature to finish second, highlighted by a final quarter in 27.2. Go Now (Brett Beckwith) earned the show spot. Custard Dolce gave owner Kellogg Racing Stables and trainer Jackie Greene a double on the card as their Mrs Cheese made good as a heavy favorite in a $10,750 race for fillies and mares. Jacob Cutting guided both Greene trainees to the Sunday scores and piloted four winners on the card. Cutting has certainly avoided a “sophomore slump” in 2026 as the track’s winner of the awards for Up-and-Coming Driver and Up-and-Coming Trainer in ’25 has gotten his campaign off to a big start.

Live racing continues on Monday afternoon with a matinee that begins at 12pm.  There is a $13,855 carryover in the Jackpot Super High Five.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Custard Dolce (Custard The Dragon) scored an Open win in her local debut at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Sunday afternoon. Jacob Cutting catch-drove the four year old for trainer Jackie Greene who wound up starting from post two following a scratch in the $16,500 Fillies and Mares Open. Last week’s Open runner-up Swedish Starlet N (Matt Athearn) cut the mile in the Sunday feature and traveled unopposed in a soft first half in 58.2. Custard Dolce, who got away third, swung to the outside with about 3/8 of a mile remaining and powered up to challenge Swedish Starlet N as those two engaged in a heavy-duty battle past three quarters in 1:27.2. Custard Dolce reigned supreme in the stretch to secure the victory in her first Spa start, stopping the timer in 1:56.2. Swedish Starlet N finished second for the second consecutive week while Waitforever N (Brett Beckwith) earned the show spot. Custard Dolce, who is owned by Kellogg Racing Stables, paid $5.88 to win in what was her 2026 debut.

Live racing continues on Monday with a matinee that begins at 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Turn The Page N scored an impressive victory in the Sunday afternoon feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Drawing post eight for her try in the $16,500 Fillies and Mares Open, Turn The Page N floated out a bit early but was unable to find a seat. The seven year old wound up getting parked the mile albeit with cover as another parked-out rival did some of the heavy lifting for Turn The Page N. Ron Cushing sat behind Turn The Page N who continued to battle overland before tipping to the far outside around the final turn and powering up to get by Waitforever N (Leon Bailey) in the final strides. Waitforever wound up as the runner-up for the second consecutive week and for the third time in four starts in the ladies’ Open this season when she finished second to Turn The Page N in the 1:57 mile. The race’s favorite Miss Idaho A (Larry Stalbaum) finished third. Turn The Page N’s win came in just her second start in the 2026 season following a third-place finish at Yonkers last week. Cushing co-owns Turn The Page N with Kevin Sywyk. The New Zealand invader, who is trained by Heidi Cushing, paid $11.68 to win in the mild upset.

Live racing continues on Monday with a matinee that begins at 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Island Bouhinia A (Betting Line) came into Sunday’s feature having been the runner-up in the Fillies and Mares Open in three of her last five starts dating back to last year. On Sunday, the seven-year-old distaffer drew the rail in pursuit of her first ever win in the ladies’ Open and had Jacob Cutting at the controls for her try in the $16,500 feature. Island Bouhinia A sat the pocket in a race where the pacesetter sizzled through a first half in 55.4. Last week’s Open winner Waitforever N (Leon Bailey) charged after the leader and began to wear her down at the head of the stretch. Just then, Island Bouhinia A found open road in the passing lane and began her charge up the rail. The Amanda Kelley trainee got up in time to win it in 1:55 while Waitforever N continued her strong stretch to begin the ’26 season with a pair of runner-up tries to go with last week’s Open victory. Longshot Perfect Queen (Matt Athearn) earned the show spot in Sunday’s feature. Island Bouhinia A is owned in partnership by Sartin Racing and S&K Misfit Racing Stables. Jacob Cutting piloted a pair of winners on the matinee card.

Live racing continues on Monday with a President’s Day matinee that begins at 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Frisco Bay N (Downbytheseaside) sprung a big-time upset in the season’s first Open at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Sunday afternoon. The opening day card featured fourteen races for a cold February matinee which was highlighted by the longshot victory from the Jackie Greene-trained Frisco Bay N. Jacob Cutting sat behind the six year old who was dismissed at odds of 34-1 in the $16,500 Open Pace and marched out to the early lead. Frisco Bay N posted fast fractions of 26.4 and 56.1 in the first half before being confronted by pocket-pulling favorite Vanderbilt N (Ron Cushing). That invader was the 1-4 betting favorite and evacuated the two-hole behind Frisco Bay N who rattled off three-quarters in 1:25.1 while holding off the challenge from the favorite. Those two pacers brought their battle to the stretch but the longshot would not be denied as Frisco Bay N recorded his first career Open victory stopping the timer in 1:54 to best Vanderbilt N by a head. The Good Doctor (Kyle Swift), a nominee for Pacer of the Year at the Spa in ’25, closed to finish third in his seasonal debut. Frisco Bay N is owned by the Kellogg Racing Stables of Queensbury, NY. Jacob Cutting, who piloted the winner, scored a driving double on the Sunday matinee.

Live racing continues on Monday with a 12pm first post.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Rocknroll Runa A scored in the final Open Pace of the season at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Sunday afternoon. Larry Stalbaum owns, trains and drives the eight year old who secured his sixth victory of the year in Sunday’s $18,500 feature behind a powerful first-over move. Rocknroll Runa A won the Open for the second time this season last Sunday and went back-to-back with this week’s score that came in 1:54. Going off at odds of 5-1, Rocknroll Runa A was eighth lengths off the lead at the quarter pole but progressed steadily in the second-half before powering away to win by close to five lengths in the season’s final installment of the Open Pace. Favorable Draw (Shawn Gray) came from well off the pace to be second while Negotiator (Mitch Cushing) earned the show spot in his debut in the local Open. Rocknroll Runa A earned more than $348,000 in 2024 and has followed that monster campaign up with a $114,000+ ’25 season.

Rocknroll Runa A enjoyed a sensational campaign last year for owner/trainer Larry Stalbaum. As a seven year old in 2024, the son of Rock N Roll Heaven amassed just shy of $350,000 in a monster season which saw him as an occasional participant in the local Open Pace at Saratoga Casino Hotel. While not having the same kind of year in ’25, Rocknroll Runa A has again enjoyed a big campaign and on Sunday won the Open Pace for the second time of the year. Stalbaum sat behind his star pacer who blasted off the car and secured an early lead in a 28.2 first quarter. The 5-2 shot in the wagering coasted unopposed through a half in 58.1 and three quarters of 1:26.2 before being met with the challenge of pocket-sitter Favorable Draw (Shawn Gray). That rival, though, came up a half length short in a mile clocked in 1:54.3 in the $18,500 feature. Rocknroll Runa A’s victory was his fifth of the year overall and moved his seasonal earnings to over the $100,000 mark. Favorable Draw was the runner-up while Mach N Cheese (Matt Athearn) earned the show spot.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

CMS Photography photo

With no Open Pace on the card, a $15,000 event for pacers stood as the feature on the Sunday matinee at Saratoga Casino Hotel. A highly competitive race went the way of Hunter Hill and driver Aaron Byron who moved first-over on the favorite who came in riding a three-race win streak. First-half fractions of 27 and 55.4 took their toll on the weary leader and Hunter Hill powered right by approaching the three-quarter pole. The Scott West-trained pacer surged into the lead just past a 1:24.4 panel before surging into a commanding lead around the final turn. Rival Little Willy (Jacob Cutting) followed the Hunter Hill cover and closed sharply in the stretch before coming up a half-length short in a mile clocked in 1:53.4. Mr Huggins (Larry Stalbaum) came on to finish third. Hunter Hill, who is owned by his trainer Scott West, won for the sixth time of the year. He paid $17.86 to win in the upset.

Live racing continues on Monday at Saratoga with a 12pm first post.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo