Gone Astray filly now has four victories to go along with her 10 seconds

Richard Averill is well-known in thoroughbred circles, especially around Florida, as so many of his runners are stamped with an ‘R’ as their first names. Among his foremost stars are Delaware Oaks winner R Lady Joy, earner of $581,586 and $233,688 earner R Vicarious Girl.

Among the lesser-known runners, but one of the most interesting, is R Averie Lynn, a Gone Astray filly purchased by Averill for $25,000 as a 2-year-old at OBS July. R Averie Lynn raced for Averill in partnership with ATM Racing for the first 14 starts of her career, winning three times. Last October at Delaware Park, in the 14th start, she was claimed away for $12,500 by Old Coach Farm and trainer Michael Gorham.

In Gorham’s care, R Averie Lynn finished third in her first try for the new barn, then racked up six consecutive seconds, and a fourth in her eighth start. Yesterday, the 4-year-old filly finally hit the winner’s circle at Delaware in a $24,000 starter optional claimer at 5 1/2 furlongs. With Jaime Rodriguez aboard, she sat chilly through a quarter in :21.75 and a half in :45.73, then slipped through on the inside and drove to the lead, winning by a length in 1:04.58. The winner’s check of $14,400 increased her bank account to $103,452 on a record of 4-10-2 in 23 starts. o