Bodexpress seeks revenge on Identifier in Saturday allowance

MIAMI – The last time Bodexpress competed in South Florida, early last spring at Gulfstream Park, he fell victim to a very fast pace and the late-running longshot Identifier when finishing third in the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope. Bodexpress finds Identifier waiting for him once again, this time under allowance conditions on Saturday in the $44,000 main event at Gulfstream Park West.

Bodexpress, primarily known for finishing second behind Maximum Security as a 71-1 longshot in the 2019 Florida Derby, took more than four months off following his game effort in defeat as the 2-1 favorite in the Hal’s Hope. He spent most of the summer training at Saratoga, where he got back to action finishing third behind Spinoff and Endorsed in the Alydar Stakes on Aug. 9.

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Trainer Gustavo Delgado sent Bodexpress on to Churchill Downs for his next start, dropping him back into the allowance ranks, and he finished second, beaten 1 1/4 lengths by Aurelius Maximus, who flattered the effort last week when finishing second to Mr Freeze in the Grade 2 Fayette at Keeneland.

Bodexpress is based at Gulfstream Park West, where he won his maiden and an entry-level allowance race by a combined 9 3/4 lengths during the 2019 session.

“His last race was a very good one,” said Gustavo Delgado Jr., assistant to his father, trainer Gustavo Delgado.

The younger Delgado noted that the fourth-place finisher in that Churchill allowance race, Signalman, returned to win an allowance race at Keeneland.

Delgado said Bodexpress just needed a break after his big effort in the Hal’s Hope.

“He ran well that day, the pace was just a little too fast,” Delgado said. “He had been running every month since October prior to that, so we just gave him a break. He probably needed the race at Saratoga and he’s been doing really well since he got back home. He really likes the track here, and hopefully we can get him a little confidence boost with a win on Saturday, after which there are plenty of options to consider down the road.”

Identifier, sent off at 60-1, rallied from nearly a dozen lengths off the pace turning for home to a one-length victory in the Hal’s Hope in just his second stakes outing and first against graded company. He has not hit the board in three subsequent starts. Trained by Oscar Gonzalez, he ran 12th in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap in May, fourth in the Sea of Tranquility at Gulfstream in July, and a wide-running sixth trying turf for the first time in the Mr. Steele at Gulfstream Park on Sept. 7.

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Blewitt spent the summer at Saratoga, where he ran three times, with his best effort a third-place finish after setting a contested pace in the Lubash Stakes for New York-breds on grass July 22. He has not raced in South Florida since finding himself loose on an easy lead en route to a five-length tally in an allowance race going a mile and one-sixteenth at Gulfstream on April 9.

Like You enters off a career-best performance last month at Gulfstream, withstanding some early pace pressure before drawing off to a 4 1/2-length victory when sent a mile against easier allowance competition than he’ll encounter Saturday. Like You received an 88 Beyer Speed Figure, 10 points higher than his previous best.

Quenane, who has won 3 of 5 starts at Gulfstream Park West, and Glory of Florida, who showed improvement off the claim for new trainer Carlos David in his crosstown finale on Sept. 13, complete the field.