'Anxious' Bodexpress may seek Pegasus World Cup redemption

While Bodexpress is most well-known for losing the Preakness Stakes at the break, chalk the colt’s recent defeat up to what happened before the race even began.

“He usually gets a little bit anxious,” said Gustavo Delgado Jr., assistant trainer for his father. He saw Bodexpress lose jockey Emisael Jaramillo during the loading process for the Dec. 14 Harlan’s Holiday Stakes (G3) and nearly break loose through the starting gate.

Fired up, the son of Bodemeister then went the opening quarter mile at Gulfstream Park in 22.82 seconds, a pace that proved too fast to sustain. Bodexpress faded to finish third.

Next, Delgado Jr. says connections are hoping for some redemption — thanks to a bit of a different approach to race day — in the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup (G1).

“What we think is that some day, somehow, everything will go his way and he can get one of the big ones,” Delgado Jr. said. “He’s still looking good. He looks like he didn’t even run.”

Campaigned by Top Racing LLC, Global Thoroughbred and GDS Racing, Bodexpress went into the Harlan’s Holiday favored on the back of two more professional efforts. At his Gulfstream Park West base, the colt broke his maiden on Oct. 14 before winning a Nov. 20 allowance by 6 3/4 lengths.

“He looked like a professional that day,” Delgado Jr. said. “If we can get him back to that, he’s going to be tough.”

Bodexpress’ connections have heard from Gulfstream officials about a Pegasus invitation, but those won’t be official until next month. Since a recent announcement that the race purse will cut to $3 million, but that an entry fee won’t be required, more parties have expressed interest in running.

The gate issues at Gulfstream harkened back to the spring, when Bodexpress shipped over to finish a neck back of future graded winner Shancelot in a Feb. 16 maiden flight, then ran second to Maximum Security in the Florida Derby (G1). He qualified for the Kentucky Derby before entering racing lore when bucking and tossing John Velazquez in the Preakness.

Maximum Security is said to be bypassing the Pegasus, leaving Bodexpress as potential controlling speed in the 1 1/18-mile race.

“We can use that in our favor,” said Delgado Jr., who doesn’t mind another new element to the Pegasus. That it will run medication-free likely means an earlier ship over to Gulfstream Park, providing Bodexpress more time to acclimate.

“About the Lasix — we don’t have any problem,” Delgado Jr. added. “He doesn’t have a history of being a bleeder before, so that’s not a concern for us.

“He’s always been a pretty sound horse. As long as he’s still behaving well and maturing enough, I think he only has to improve some. He wastes so much energy. When he stops that — well, we have an idea what he can do.”