Runners by Gone Astray and Bucchero cause Gulfstream Park tote board explosion

For handicappers who fancy wagering on runners by Pleasant Acres stallions, they broke the bank at Gulfstream Park yesterday, Florindia paying $31.60 in winning the second race, and Fast Fixer going one better with a $69.80 mutuel in the eighth. A $10 win parlay on the two would have returned in the neighborhood of $5,409.

2nd race: Florindia, owned and bred by Ramilo Rosas Medina, was making her third career start after finishing eight lengths behind in second place in her previous try. The 2-year-old filly by Gone Astray had the services of neophyte apprentice Maikol Hernandez, who was in with a light 111 pounds and had just one victory from 35 mounts to his credit going in. But Hernandez looked more like a seasoned veteran as he put Florindia on the lead early, battled one rival through a quarter in :22.87, then confidently roused his filly into a daylight advantage, and she drew off with ease to report home by 4 1/2 lengths, getting five furlongs in :59.18.

Florindia collected $43,000 for her maiden-breaker and gave Gone Astray winner No. 19 this year. Winner No. 18 was Rou One Astray, a 4-year-old gelding who won at Camarero on May 29 in his fourth start. Bred in Puerto Rico by Linda and Greg Jackson, after finishing second in his previous start he paid $2.10 to win in this one, which he won by 10 1/4 lenghs.

8th race: Before breaking his maiden yesterday in his seventh try, Fast Fixer had been the victim of a great deal of bad luck in several races, thus his price of 33-1. But this time, David Boraco gave the 3-year-old Bucchero gelding the perfect ride in his first trip over the Tapeta track, and Fast Fixer swung outside turning for home and went on to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:04.02 for the 5 1/2 furlongs. He earned $19,600 and is Bucchero’s 18th winner.