Bullet Gone Astray new shooter in Hopeful

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – There will be some familiar names in the starting gate for Monday’s Grade 1 Hopeful and one not so familiar to local fans – Bullet Gone Astray, who will give trainer Henry Collazo his first stakes opportunity at Saratoga.

Collazo, a mainstay on the south Florida circuit, is no stranger to Saratoga, having worked here as an assistant to trainer Steve DiMauro 30 years ago. He also brought a small string of his own up here for the 2008 meeting. Collazo purchased Bullet Gone Astray privately after he was bought back at the April Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. auction. Bullet Gone Astray has captured both of his starts, including the Mountaineer Juvenile by nine lengths Aug. 1.

“He always trained well, and the only thing that surprised me when he won his first start at Gulfstream was the price – I couldn’t believe he was 8-1,” said Collazo. “There weren’t a lot of opportunities at Gulfstream after that since he’s not eligible for the Florida Sire Stakes, and he needed to run, which is why I sent him to Mountaineer, where he not only won easily but with something in reserve at the end.”

Collazo knows he’ll be treading in much deeper waters in the Hopeful in a field that will include Magna Light and Uncle Vinny, the first two across the wire in the Grade 3 Sanford, as well as Sticksstatelydude, Sallisaw, Tom’s Ready, Set the Trappe and Ralis.

Luca Panici will retain the mount on Bullet Gone Astray in the Hopeful.

“We’ll see what he’s made of, but I think the further he goes, the better,” said Collazo. “He just settles and waits for Luca to push the button.”