Scratch pays dividends for Akronism

Delaware-based Akronism was scratched from Fridays Grade 2 Honorable Miss Handicap at Saratoga in favor of Saturdays $163,400 Royal North Stakes at Woodbine. That proved to a wise move by trainer Tim Richey, as she got the job done in the six-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mares.

Akronism stalked a hotly-contested front-end battle under Eurico Rosa Da Silva in the Grade 3 event. Favored Marina Ballerina and Sea the Joy hooked up through splits of 21.86 seconds and 44.23.

Akronism hit the front at the three-sixteenths pole, before pulling away to prevail by 3 3/4 lengths, in a time of 1:07.88. Becky Sharp rallied inside to beat Marina Ballerina by a neck for second in the six-horse field.

Akronism ($8.70) earned $90,000 for her owner/breeder Robert Evans.