Bodexpress sets track record, will move on to Harlan's Holiday Stakes

MIAMI – Bodexpress earned himself a ticket back into graded stakes company, this time not as a maiden but as a track-record holder, after burying a solid field of allowance rivals in Wednesday’s main event at Gulfstream Park West.

Bodexpress, who finished second in the Grade 1 Florida Derby and participated in the opening two legs of this year’s Triple Crown as a maiden, led throughout before drawing off to a 6 3/4-length victory over Gump in the one-mile race. His final time of 1:35.58 shattered the old standard set 18 years ago by High Ideal at the track formerly known as Calder Race Course.

The win was the second in a row for Bodexpress, a son of Bodemeister who finally earned his diploma in a maiden special weight event here five weeks earlier. That milestone came in his first start since rearing at the start and losing his rider, John Velazquez, leaving the gate in the 2019 Preakness.

Bodexpress was credited with a career best 101 Beyer Speed Figure for his latest effort.

“The way he was training the past 10 days, he looked like he had a good race coming,” said Gustavo Delgado Jr., who serves as the assistant to his father, trainer Gustavo Delgado. “He’s more mature now. We want to make him a winning horse. We’ll take it step by step up the ladder.”

The next step for Bodexpress is expected to be the Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 14.