Bodexpress to Make Pegasus Audition in Harlan’s Holiday

Bodexpress is no stranger to graded stakes races. A maiden at the time, he was a surprise runner-up in the Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1) and drew in late to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) before his well-known Preakness Stakes (G1) bid, when he unseated jockey John Velazquez after rearing in the gate and then ran with the field.

A winner in two starts since the Preakness, Bodexpress is making the step back up to graded stakes. He's one of eight entered in the $100,000 Harlan's Holiday Stakes (G3) Dec. 14 at Gulfstream Park, and a top finish could send him to the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1), also at Gulfstream.

"If he finishes first or second, he'll go to the Pegasus—that is my plan," trainer and co-owner Gustavo Delgado said.

Bodexpress, who races for Top Racing, Global Thoroughbred, and Delgado's GDS Racing Stable, returned from a five-month layoff Oct. 14 at Gulfstream Park West to break his maiden in his eighth start, a one-mile-and-70-yard maiden special weight. The 3-year-old Bodemeister colt came back in a one-mile allowance Nov. 20 at the same track and broke an 18-year-old track record, hitting the finish line in 1:35.58 and finishing 6 3/4 lengths in front.

"The horse has been good since he went to the farm," Delgado said. "The best decision after the Preakness Stakes was to send him to the farm. It was good for him. He's come back strong and more focused."

Jockey Emisael Jaramillo, aboard for both wins, has the return call.

The Harlan's Holiday, 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-olds and up, also drew multiple graded stakes winner Prince Lucky, whose biggest success came at Gulfstream this year. The Todd Pletcher trainee, who has Velazquez named to ride, won his first graded event in the Feb. 23 Hal's Hope Stakes (G3), then came back to win the March 30 Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes (G2).

Prince Lucky has made five starts since the Gulfstream Park Mile, all at Belmont Park. The 4-year-old Corinthian gelding, a Pennsylvania homebred for Daniel McConnell, finished first in the State Dinner Stakes, second in the Kelso Handicap (G2), and fourth last out in the Bold Ruler Handicap (G3) cut back to seven furlongs.

"Seven furlongs is a bit short for him," Pletcher said. "I think he's probably at his very best at a one-turn mile, but we were sort of in a spot where we didn't have too many options. He's another horse that's had success at Gulfstream."

Depending on Saturday's outcome, Prince Lucky's connections might also consider the Pegasus.

"He was 2-for-2 early in the year here," Pletcher added, "so we were thinking if he could be a Pegasus horse, then how would we get there? We felt like the Bold Ruler was sort of a bridge to get us to the Harlan's Holiday, and that will be an opportunity for him to run two turns at Gulfstream for the first time and see how he handles that and see if he earns his way into a position in the Pegasus."

The Harlan's Holiday field also includes multiple graded stakes winner War Story, along with Eye of a Jedi and Red Crescent, both stakes winners in South Florida this year.

Entries: Harlan's Holiday S. (G3)

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 14, 2019, Race 10

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $100,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 4:30 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Prince Lucky (PA)	John R. Velazquez	123	Todd A. Pletcher	2/1
2	2Eye of a Jedi (KY)	Paco Lopez	123	Steve Budhoo	15/1
3	3Red Crescent (FL)	Tyler Gaffalione	123	John G Vinson	6/1
4	4Flowers for Lisa (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	121	Jorge Navarro	6/1
5	5War Story (KY)	Luis Saez	125	Elizabeth L. Dobles	7/2
6	6Bodexpress (KY)	Emisael Jaramillo	118	Gustavo Delgado	4/1
7	7Phat Man (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	123	J. Kent Sweezey	12/1
8	8Realm (VA)	Julien R. Leparoux	121	Barclay Tagg	12/1