Soft Shot became the winningest distaffer in the Fillies & Mares Open Handicap this season at Saratoga Casino Hotel when the top-flight lady pacer scored in the $25,000 feature for the fifth time in 2026 on Tuesday, June 9. 

Soft Shot has been utilizing a mix of early speed and closing ability to put together the strong resume from her first season of racing at the Spa for trainer Jaymes McAssey. On Tuesday, Soft Shot was co-favoured at odds of 8-5 while starting from post four. 

Kyle Swift is the regular driver for Soft Shot and sent the five-year-old daughter of Heston Blue Chip-Aims Whisper to the lead in a speedy :26.4 first quarter before reaching the half in :55.4. Soft Shot showed no signs of letting up, rattling off three-quarters in 1:23.4 before scoring in 1:52.4 to set a new seasonal mark. Longshot Macarena Wink (Billy Dobson) sat the pocket to the winner before finishing second while Vel Cinderella (Aaron Byron) earned the show spot in her local debut.

The win was one of three on the day for the 20-year-old Swift, who sits atop the driver standings this season in his first year of piloting full-time at Saratoga. 

Soft Shot, now a career winner of 24 races and $595,480 from 55 starts, is owned by Paul O'Neil of Saratoga Springs, New York.

(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)