Grade 1-Placed Bodexpress Breaks Maiden With Ease

Bodexpress, winless in seven starts including a runner-up finish in the Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1), broke his maiden Oct. 14 at Gulfstream Park West in gate-to-wire fashion under an easy hand ride.

Trained by co-owner Gustavo Delgado, who races under the name of GDS Racing Stable, for partners Top Racing and Global Thoroughbred, Bodexpress had not raced since the May 18 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course where he reared in the gate at the break and unseated John Velazquez.

"It was important to me," a relieved Delgado said. "Now he is very good. He broke from the gate perfect—the race was simple and easy. Now I hope he comes back from the race very good. This is the first time he was very good in the gate—the first time in all of his races. We worked and worked and worked (with him at the gate)."

The 3-year-old son of Bodemeister  shot out of the gate Monday with Emisael Jaramillo aboard, taking charge of the field of three other sophomores going one mile and 70 yards. Bodexpress clicked off easy fractions of :22.79, :47.85, and 1:12.70 through six furlongs with Septemberten, Afleet Moment, and Armando R trailing.

As the field came off the turn for home, Jaramillo had little work to do as his colt strode out down the stretch, but the other riders had their whips out and urged their mounts to catch up. Bodexpress was ridden out to a three-length score under an unmoving Jaramillo, completing the distance in 1:46.48 on a fast track.

"The horse came into the race in good shape, but I think the horse was 70%. This race will help him," said Jaramillo, whose comments were interpreted by Gustavo Delgado Jr., the Venezuelan trainer's son and assistant. "He got tired a little bit. He was a little aggressive, but the trainer has done a lot of work with him."

Bred in Kentucky by Martha Jane Mulholland, Bodexpress is the second foal out of the unraced City Zip mare Pied a Terre. He was an RNA both times through the ring—once as a yearling with the final bid reaching $45,000 when he was consigned by Mulholland Springs to the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, and for $37,000 as a 2-year-old when Brick City Thoroughbreds consigned him to the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

Bodexpress finished second three times including his Florida Derby effort, which landed him a starting spot in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). Although he finished 13th in that outing he returned to contest the Preakness.

"We'll take it step by step," Delgado Jr. said. "Hopefully he comes back from this race in good shape. He has faced good horses before. The way I see it we can try anything."