Fast Loaded’s boast: ‘I shot the sheriff’ in Charles Town sprint

Fast Loaded was 7-1 on the tote board and facing a 3/5 shot as the field left the gate in the last race at Charles Town last night. But in the stretch, it looked more like Fast Loaded was odds-on as favored Sheriff Chip struggled to finish fifth after pushing the pace from the start of the 6 1/2-furlong race.

Fast Loaded, a 5-year-old gelding by Gone Astray, was away third under Gerald Almodovar and tracked the leaders three lengths off the pace down the backstretch. His rider swung him off the rail on the turn and Fast Loaded rallied between horses in the lane, drawing off late to score by two lengths.

In becoming Gone Astray’s 16th winner of 2022, Fast Loaded collected a check for $10,059 and left his sire less than $8,000 short of the $600,000 mark in progeny earnings. The gelding bred by Shade Tree Thoroughbreds paid $17.40 and is 8-3-2 in 24 starts with earnings of $171,883.