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Photo Credit: Jim McCue/MJC
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BALTIMORE, MD. 5-17-08 – Robert S. Evans’ Akronism wore down frontrunner My Sister Sue, catching her just before the finish line to win the $75,000 Skipat Stakes for fillies and mares. Pablo Morales refused to give up on the 4-year-old daughter of Not For Love and drove her home in 1:09.76 for the six-furlong distance on the main track. My Sister Sue had to settle for second, only a neck behind the winner, after setting blistering fractions of :22.23 and :44.27 for the first half-mile. Acinonyx was along for third.
Akronism paid $6.
Tim Ritchey, who saddled Afleet Alex for a victory in the 2005 Preakness Stakes, trains Akronism, who won the Maryland Million Distaff Handicap last fall at Laurel Park before wintering at Oaklawn Park. The filly is based with Ritchey at Delaware Park.
Trainer and Jockey Quotes
Tim Ritchey (trainer, Akronism, winner) – “She got knocked around a good bit early on. I didn’t know at the point what to think of her chances, but she made the most of the stretch with a very impressive outing. This horse has heart, a whole lot of heart.”
Pablo Morales (jockey, Akronism, winner) – “As usual, she broke a little slow. She definitely does not like pressure from the outside, so she reacted to that and didn’t like that at all. When we came into the stretch, I saw that (No. 3) horse in front of us, I asked her and she started to give me a big, big run. I know that the stretch is very long here, so I kept going with her. She really, really gave me a big run.”
-MJC-