Gone Astray keeps rolling; Authentic Heart sets Tapeta record

Gone Astray jump-started the weekend with winners at Monmouth Park and Gulfstream plus a pair of thirds in New Jersey, adding $34,000 to his progeny earnings and winding up Saturday closing in on the $800,000 mark for the year.

Hard West began the afternoon with a 1 3/4-length score in a $31,000 starter optional claimer at Monmouth under Richard Mitchell. The 5-year-old horse broke well and took up a spot in fourth place down the backstretch. Mitchell moved him on the turn and Hard West quickly closed the gap between himself and the leaders and went on to win with something left in the tank, clocked in 1:11.20 and receiving an 89 ‘E’ speed figure. He paid $15.60, raised his record to 7-3-4 in 32 starts, and the check for $18,600 increased his earnings to $114,276.

In Hallandale Beach, Authentic Heart broke his maiden in his sixth try and gave Gone Astray 21 winners in 2022, tied for third best among Florida sires. The 4-year-old gelding hadn’t shown much in his first four races, until Chantal Sutherland hopped aboard. She guided him to a second-place finish on April 10 after a layoff of 5 1/2 months, then won with him yesterday carrying 125 pounds over a sloppy surface while lowering the track record for ‘about’ a mile and one-sixteenth over the Tapeta course to 1:45.97. He paid $5.00 and collected a check for $11,600 after making up more than 10 lengths and scoring by 1 1/2 lengths.