Vastly different casino paydays for two sharp Gone Astray runners

There were just a few similarities between the victories posted by two veteran runners yesterday that catapulted Gone Astray up one spot into sixth place on Florida’s leading sire list with 2022 progeny earnings of $1,247,804. Both begin with a ‘W’ – World Gone Wild and Wink and a Nod – and both broke a little slowly, rushed into contention early on the backstretch. took the lead going to the first quarter, then drew off to score handily without being threatened. World Gone Wild cruised to the wire by 3 1/2 lengths, Wink and a Nod by 3 3/4.

The differences in the duo were many: World Gone Wild is a 4-year-old filly who was going five furlongs over the turf course at Parx Racing; Wink and a Nod is a 6-year-old gelding who went six furlongs over the main track at Mountaineer Casino & Resort.

The purse for World Gone Wild at Parx, which is supported by a casino, was $46,000, and the winner’s check for $27,600 raised her career total to $247,725 on a record of 9-3-1 in 25 starts. She received an Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 87. Despite the presence of the casino at Mountaineer, the purse was a meager $8,051, and added just $4,814 to Wink and a Nod’s bank account, increasing it to $87,531, even with his excellent record of 9-12-5 in 45 tries. His ‘E’ speed figure was 69. Unfortunately, 28 of his races have come at Mountaineer, in West Virginia.

One has to wonder what the purses would be like at Mountaineer if there was no casino.