Serious performance by Acutely in Swifty Sired Fillies Stakes

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (May 18, 2022) – Acutely and DeShawn Parker romped to victory in the 9th running of the $100,000 Swifty Sired Fillies Stakes at Horseshoe Indianapolis Wednesday, May 18. The duo pulled away from the field to win by four and one-half lengths at the finish line in the five and one-half furlong sprint.

Acutely was alert at the start, getting out quickly to challenge early leader Lexi Sun and Sammy Bermudez. Parker kept the three-year-old Sahara Sky filly relaxed right at the flank of Lexi Sun through early fractions of the race before moving up and taking over at the head of the lane.

In the stretch, Parker asked for a little more speed from Acutely and she responded with a big kick to close out the race. Lil Evie and Tommy Pompell closed gamely on the outside to finish second over No Trust and Jon Court, who also closed to finish third.

“She was waiting on horses the whole time,” explained Parker, who is now 13 wins away from 6,000 career trips to the winner’s circle. “Once she got by the leader, she relaxed. She felt that horse (Lil Evie) coming to her in the stretch and took off again.”

Acutely, trained by Ron Raper, paid $15.20 for the win over the muddy surface. The filly is owned by Rick Cleary’s CDC Racing LLC and Tom Mosley Jr. She was making her first start of 2022 and is now three for four lifetime.

“This filly loves to run,” said Raper, who is an eight-time leading Quarter Horse trainer at Horseshoe Indianapolis. “Elliott Farms broke her for us, and she came to us ready to run. They did a good job with her.”

Acutely, donning the recognizable bright pink and purple blinkers from the Raper Stable, earned her first stakes win of her career and is now on a three-race win streak coupled with two wins to complete her two-year-old season last fall. The Jesse Hopper-bred filly more than doubled her career earnings with the win and topped $100,000 with the stakes win.

Photos by Coady Photography