Pasultimatedelite N & Shawn Gray

Trainer Jaymes McAssey’s stable has returned very strong from quarantine and on Thursday afternoon, the young conditioner rattled off a pair of victories at Saratoga Casino Hotel. McAssey, the Peerless McGrath Award winner for top breakthrough trainer at the Spa in 2017, is enjoying a strong ’20 campaign and went back-to-back on Thursday’s card. Pasultimatedelite N (Bettor’s Delight) drew the rail for her try in a $4,800 conditional race for pacing mares and driver Shawn Gray got the veteran distaffer a pocket trip behind a rival who rebuffed her first-over bid last week when the two squared off. Pasultimatedelite N popped the pocket on Thursday and roared past to win in 1:55.1 to record her second victory since the return from quarantine. Her race’s 6-5 betting favorite, Pasultimatedelite N completed the back end of a McAssey-Gray double on Thursday as the pair teamed up for a score with Sporty Mercedes (Sportswriter) who was dominant in his Spa debut. Like stablemate Pasultimatedelite N, Sporty Mercedes drew the rail for his Thursday try and Gray sat the pocket with him before evacuating past the half as the rival on the front-end looked to be tiring. The move proved to be the winning one for Sporty Mercedes who prevailed in his local debut in decisive fashion. McAssey has continued to climb the trainer standings at Saratoga while in the midst of a tremendous “start” to the 2020 campaign.

Live racing resumes on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga with a first post time set for 12 Noon.

 

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino