Hopeful Next for Bullet Gone Astray
Undefeated Bullet Gone Astray is scheduled to be shipped from Gulfstream Park to Saratoga next week to run in the $350,000 Hopeful (G1) Sept. 7.
Owned by Four Horsemen Racing Stable and Lady Lindsay Racing Stables, the 2-year-old son of Gone Astray broke his maiden at first asking at Gulfstream Park June 28, closing from off the pace over a sealed sloppy track to win a five-furlong maiden special weight race by 1 ½ lengths going away. Trainer Henry Collazo then shipped the Florida-bred colt to West Virginia, where he stalked the early pace on a fast track before drawing off to a nine-length triumph in the six-furlong $100,000 Mountaineer Juvenile Stakes August 1.
“I gave him plenty of time to recuperate. He was anxious to get back to the track. After I gave him a week off, he went back to the track and really hasn’t missed a beat. He’s doing great,” Collazo said. “I breezed him last Saturday and the decision was made to go to the Hopeful Sunday. He came out of the breeze so good.”
Bullet Gone Astray, who breezed five furlongs in a ‘bullet’ 59.72 seconds, is scheduled to work again Saturday at Gulfstream before traveling to Saratoga Monday.
“He’s sitting on ‘go.’ He’s seems to thrive [on training and racing.] After each effort, he gets better and better and he goes forward,” Collazo said.
Jockey Luca Panici has the return mount aboard Bullet Gone Astray, who was purchased for $15,000 at OBS April Sale.
The manner in which Bullet Gone Astray won his two races has given his trainer confidence that he will handle longer distances.
“I don’t think seven furlongs is going to be a problem. I don’t think two turns will be a problem, because he’s push-button. When you have a horse that’s push-button, all you have to do is ride along until you push the button,” Collazo said. “That’s him.”
Bullet Gone Astray will afford Collazo the welcome opportunity to return to Saratoga, where he stabled a small string in 2008.
“It’s what you wake up for every morning. It’s a prayer being answered. Every morning, I pray for my children’s health and the opportunity to train a horse like this,” the father of three girls said.
Whisper Hill Farm’s Tap to It Possible for Grade 1 Spinaway
Whisper Hill Farm’s Tap to It, an impressive debut winner at Saratoga Aug. 16, may well make her second start in the $350,000 Spinaway (G1) at the Spa Sept. 5.
“We’re going to work her this weekend. If all goes well we’ll point toward the Spinaway,” trainer Ralph Nicks said during training hours at Gulfstream Park Wednesday. “If not, our second option will be either the Pocahontas (G2, Churchill Downs, Sept. 12) or the Alcibiades (G1, Keeneland, Oct. 2) depending on how much time we need.”
Tap to It, a $400,000 purchase at the 2014 Keeneland Sale, broke awkwardly from her No. 1 post position in a six-furlong maiden special weight race. She had to be steadied behind horses on the backstretch before launching an impressive stretch drive to score by 2. The gray daughter of Tapit ran six furlongs in 1:10.93 under Joel Rosario.
Ballet Diva Preps for Susan’s Girl with ‘Bullet’ Breeze.
Jacks or Better Farm’s Ballet Diva breezed a half mile in 46.26 seconds Wednesday at Gulfstream Park in preparation for a scheduled start in the $300,000 Susan’s Girl Division of the Florida Sire Stakes series Sept. 5. The Stanley Gold-trained 2-year-old filly, who turned in the fastest of 31 works recorded at the distance, will seek redemption for her first career loss in the $200,000 Desert Vixen Division of the series for juveniles sired by accredited Florida stallions Aug. 8.
Ballet Diva had been gone unchallenged in her first two starts before finishing third behind It’s High Time and stablemate Silent Prayer in the first leg of the Florida Sire Stakes. The daughter of Hear No Evil, who won her debut by 12 ¼ and the Cassidy Stakes by a handy 4 ½ lengths, pressed the pace but could not keep up with eventual winner It’s High Time, who won by 3 ¼ lengths.
“I think she didn’t have the lead because she wasn’t handling the track. It wasn’t to her liking. She was struggling. It’s an excuse but true. We got beat,” Gold said.
Silent Prayer, who finished three-quarters of a length ahead of Ballet Diva, is also scheduled to start in the Susan’s Girl.
Thursday's Rainbow 6 Carryover Nearly $400,000
The 20-cent Rainbow 6, which has gone unsolved for the 22 consecutive programs, will offer a carryover jackpot pool of $393,365.89 for Thursday’s card.
The six-race sequence will span Races 5-10 on Thursday’s card.
The Rainbow 6 carryover jackpot is paid out only when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.
The Rainbow 6 jackpot was last cracked on July16, when a unique ticket paid $164,483.32 after the innovative wager had gone unsolved for eight racing programs.
Source: Gulfstream Park