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Sweet Goodbye
Photo Credit: Jim McCue/MJC
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LAUREL, MD. 10-04-08---William R. Harris’ Sweet Goodbye won the biggest race of her brief career when she sped to victory in the $150,000 Maryland Million Oaks.
Now four for five, with all four victories coming under jockey J.D. Acosta for trainer Chris Grove, the daughter of 1996 Preakness winner Louis Quatorze charged to the lead a furlong from the start and then continued on unopposed, completing the one mile distance in 1:38.47 over the fast main track.
She won by three lengths and paid $4.20.
Saxet Heights made a gallant run to take second, while Love For Not was able to out finish Another Jewel to finish third.
Grove said, “We were looking for more of a tactical position today. Nobody wanted the lead so we went after it. This is a special horse. J.D. knows how to ride her and he got the job done today.”
This was the fourth Maryland Million win Grove, who also won the 2002 Sprint with Deer Run for Harris and a pair with millionaire Silmaril. The 39-year-old conditioner has compared Sweet Goodbye to Silmaril, who won the 2004 Oaks and 2006 Distaff.
Acosta said, “When she works in the morning, she works behind horses and I really wanted to sit behind somebody today, but there was no one to do that, so we went for it. She likes to shake her head a lot but I let her go. It was a fast pace but she was awesome on the lead. She was unbelievable.”
-MJC-