Go Astray pulls off the upset in Desert Vixen

Ramiro Medina’s Go Astray stayed on the straight and narrow Saturday at Gulfstream Park, going right to the front at the start of the $100,000 Desert Vixen Division of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes and continuing on to post a dominating 4 ¾-length triumph over heavily favored Awesome Mass.

“I was hoping for a good race. This filly has been training super. For the day I got her, I knew she was going to be a nice horse,” trainer Angel Rodriguez said.

Ridden by Jose Batista, Go Astray ($23.60) outsprinted Valid Interest to take the lead on the backstretch and set fractions of 22.22 seconds, 44.93 and 57.31 for the first five furlongs of the six-furlong event for 2-year-old fillies sired by accredited stallions standing in Florida. Awesome Mass, the 3-5 favorite who got away from the gate a step slowly, took up the chase to the outside of Go Astray on the turn but was unable to sustain her drive under Emisael Jaramillo. Go Astray pulled away for a comfortable triumph as Awesome Mass held off Pantyhose by a nose.

“I was definitely planning to go to the front,” Batista said. “I expected her to win by that much.”

Go Astray ran six furlongs in 1:11.08 to win her second race in six starts. The daughter of Gone Astray finished fourth in the Brave Raj Stakes in her most recent start after scoring a maiden win by 4 ¾ lengths. Prior to graduating, the Florida-bred filly finished second to Todd Pletcher-trained Stainless.

“I was pretty confident because last time she ran against open company and ran fourth, beaten by only one length. When she ran second she got beat by a horse trained by Todd Pletcher, so she’s run against some nice horses,” Rodriguez said.

The Florida Sire Stakes series continues on Sept. 2 with the $200,000 Susan’s Girl Division for fillies and the $200,000 Affirmed Division, both to be run at seven furlongs. The lucrative series will conclude with the $400,000 My Dear Girl Division for fillies and the $400,000 In Reality Division, both set for 1 1/16-miles.