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Gulfstream West: Bodexpress Poses A ‘Single’ Question To Rainbow 6 Bettors On Saturday

A quick glance at the past performance lines for Saturday's Race 9 feature at Gulfstream Park West is all that is needed to figure out that Bodexpress will be a rather imposing horse to beat.

Bodexpress is rated as the 4-5 morning-line favorite against five rivals in the 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance for good reason, having placed in multiple graded stakes, including the 2019 Florida Derby (G1), in which he finished second to Maximum Security, at Gulfstream Park.

So, naturally, the Gustavo Delgado-trained 4-year-old colt is a no-brainer Rainbow 6 'single,' right? …Right?? …Right???

OK, so maybe Bodexpress hasn't always been the most reliable betting proposition during his career; OK, so maybe he became a fan favorite as much through his sometimes erratic bad-boy behavior as his abundant talent; OK, so maybe the son of Bodemeister did rear up and unseat Hall of Famer John Velazquez leaving the starting gate in last year's Preakness Stakes (G1) and led the outrider on a merry chase around the Pimlico racetrack during the race.

But … if bettors take a stand that Bodexpress will behave himself Saturday, a 'single' in Race 9 will offer them better opportunities to 'spread' in the other five legs in the Rainbow 6, which will offer a jackpot pool guarantee of $250,000 after going unsolved for the first 10 days of the Fall Turf Festival Meet. After all, Bodexpress has made himself right at home at Gulfstream Park West, where he is based when he isn't on the road for stakes engagements.

The Kentucky-bred colt is undefeated in two starts at Gulfstream Park West. He broke his maiden in his eighth career race last October in his comeback race from his Preakness disaster. He came right back to break the track record for a mile while scoring by 6 ¾ lengths a month later, registering a career-best speed figure that towers over the best numbers put up by his Saturday foes.

Can't bring yourself to 'single' him? How about taking a stab with the only horse in the field to beat Bodexpress? Identifier scored a 60-1 upset over third-place finisher Bodexpress in the March 28 Hal's Hope (G3) at Gulfstream but has gone winless in three subsequent starts. How about Blewitt? The namesake of Gulfstream analyst Jason Blewitt returns to Gulfstream, where he scored an optional claiming allowance April 9 before losing four straight in New York.

Of course, there are five other competitive Rainbow 6 legs to review before deciding whether to 'single' Bodexpress, include a 'saver' or 'toss' him in Race 9.

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 sequence will span Race 5-10 Saturday, kicking off with a 1 1/16-mile turf race for $12,500 claimers that have gone winless since April 17. Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Keep Quiet, who lost by a neck as a beaten favorite last time out, is the 8-5 favorite in a field of 10. Trainer Jenna Antonucci, who is 2-for-4 at the GPW meet, will be represented by Basha, who finished third against better at Kentucky Downs last time out. Can't Trump Kitten drops down after racing competitively in starter optional claiming company.

Race 6, a 6 ½-furlong sprint for $16,000 claiming maidens, drew a field of 10, including first-time starters trained by David Fawkes and Kathleen O'Connell. Fawkes-trained Include the Beast is daughter of The Big Beast, while O'Connell-trained Hot Babe is a daughter of Fury Kapcori. Leading jockey Edgard Zayas returns aboard Piper, who produced an improved third-place effort in her second career start while dropping to the $16,000 claiming level. Antonio Sano-trained Pink Fizz, who most recently finished a spot behind Piper after experiencing trouble at the start while making her debut.

Sandra Matier-trained Fast Fraction has been installed as a strong 7-5 morning-line favorite for Race 7, a mile-and-70-yard 6,250 claiming race for fillies and mares. The 3-year-old daughter of Algorithms, who finished second as the beaten favorite in her last two starts at a one-turn mile, will stretch out around two turns Saturday. Inedatequila, who romped to a front-running maiden victory in her first start for trainer Kent Sweezey last time out at a one-turn mile, also stretches out Saturday.

Race 8, a co-featured optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares at a mile on turf, could well prove to be a 'spread' race with several horses appearing to have win potential, including Laura Cazares-trained Zodiac Princess, who returns to turf after her three-race winning streak was snapped in an off-the-turf race last time out. Meadow Beauty, who drops down from a troubled stakes outing, and Pardon My Heart, who returns from a five-month layoff since breaking her maiden during the Championship Meet, are scheduled to represent Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse.

Race 9, win or lose, will be all about Bodexpress.

The Rainbow 6 sequence is scheduled conclude in Race 10 with a 7 ½-furlong maiden special weight race on turf that attracted a full field of 2-year-old fillies, including first-time starters trained by Casse, Sweezey, Michael Maker, Saffie Joseph Jr. and Carlos David, as well as a second-time starter trained by Kenny McPeek. Did we hear someone say, 'Spread?'

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Travers Runner-Up Caracaro Injured, Out Of Kentucky Derby

At Saratoga Friday morning, Caracaro had just completed his final workout before next Saturday's Kentucky Derby when exercise rider J.J. Delgado felt the Travers runner-up take a bad step. According to the Daily Racing Form, trainer Gustavo Delgado didn't like the look of his ligament, and the colt is officially out of consideration for the Run for the Roses.

“I don't have the words,” trainer Delgado told drf.com. “Horses, one day they're good, one day they're bad. That's life as a horseman.”

A 3-year-old son of Uncle Mo, Caracaro finished second in the G3 Peter Pan Stakes on July 16 in what was his first foray into stakes company off a six-month layoff since a maiden-breaking victory at Gulfstream in January. On Aug. 8, Caracaro was beaten 5 1/2 lengths by Tiz the Law in the Travers, improving his record to one win and three seconds from four starts for earnings of $238,800.

Out of a daughter of War Front, Caracaro was a $95,000 weanling at the Keeneland November sale. He was bred in Kentucky by SF Bloodstock.

Owned by Global Thoroughbred and Top Racing LLC, the colt will have x-rays completed later Friday morning, and Delgado plans to ship the colt to the farm to recover.

Caracaro Continues Kentucky Derby Preparations

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With a mix of optimism and respect, trainer Gustavo Delgado and his son and assistant, Gustavo Delgado Jr., have gone about their primary task of the summer: preparing Caracaro (Uncle Mo) of the GI Kentucky Derby.

The Delgados are based in South Florida at Gulfstream Park West, but brought Caracaro to Saratoga Race Course in July with the goal of earning enough qualifying points to make the 20-horse Derby. Following second-place finishes in the GIII Peter Pan S. July 16 and the Aug. 8 GI Travers S., a colt who was injured in the winter and away from the races for about six months, is 10th on the Derby leaderboard at 60 points.

With the mission accomplished of just getting a position in the Derby field, the Delgados face the challenge of tangling once again with Tiz the Law (Constitution), the GI Belmont S. winner and likely Derby favorite. At the very least, they know Tiz the Law rather well. Caracaro was second to him in the Travers–5 1/2 lengths behind the New York-bred who was throttled-down in the stretch–and they have seen him in training over Saratoga’s main track. Without question, Tiz the Law’s Travers left them realistic about the test facing them at Churchill Down Sept. 5.

“The last race showed who the real horse was,” said Delgado, Jr., who often serves as the barn’s spokesman. “The races before he was just winning, but the last one was impressive.”

Delgado said that jockey Manny Franco had Tiz the Law “cantering to the line” in the Travers, which turned out to be the fifth-fastest time in the history of the race.

“Before, we all thought he’s a good horse,” Delgado Jr. said. “Now we’re talking about something else, like a real good one, in my opinion.”

A moment later, he agreed with the suggestion that Tiz the Law might even be a great horse.

Delgado Jr. said that Caracaro, co-owned by Global Thoroughbred and Top Racing, belongs in the Derby and that his connections see him as a contender. The colt ran second in his debut at Gulfstream Park Dec. 8 then broke his maiden by six lengths Jan. 11. There were offers to buy him as a Derby prospect after the victory, but he had to be taken out of training when a vet exam revealed an issue in his rear end. The Peter Pan was his return to competition and he was quite game despite the lengthy layoff, battling with Country Grammer (Tonalist) in the stretch before finishing second by a neck. While never a threat to win the Travers, he finished well after a wide trip. Delgado Jr. said a top-four finish in the Derby with jockey Javier Castellano is realistic and that from what he and his father can see the colt is still developing.

“This is the third time off the layoff and they usually run well the third, the fourth time. If he keeps improving he’s going to be tough,” he said. “Obviously, Tiz the Law is the main guy. If he doesn’t show up for any reason, we might be ready.”

In Delgado Jr.’s assessment, Caracaro sits in a group of five or six capable Derby horses behind Tiz the Law. Caracaro worked five furlongs in 1:01.02 Saturday over the wet main track at Saratoga and will have his final breeze this weekend before shipping to Kentucky.

“He is a good horse. Just the other one is better than him now,” Delgado Jr. said. “You pull out Tiz the Law, I tell you, I am not afraid of any of the others. It’s the Derby. Twenty horses. We’ve seen it before.”

Caracaro has thrived with his training and racing in Saratoga, Delgado Jr. said, providing some perspective.

“He’s getting fitter, lighter. He had too much weight that he is losing progressively in a good way. He’s more fit. He’s more tight. Before the Peter Pan, you could tell in the paddock he was like this,” Delgado said, spreading his arms to illustrate width. “He looked way fatter than the other horses. He didn’t look fit in the Peter Pan.

He continued, “You realize that once you are in the paddock and you can turn to the other horses. Sometimes when you see them train, you see them every day, you don’t notice the difference. But once you are in the paddock and you look and compare them to the other ones, you are like, ‘Oh, he’s a little chubby.'”

Though Delgado Jr. was clear that Tiz the Law is the horse to beat in the Derby, he pointed to the reality that there are no guarantees in the sport.

“There is still a lot of time. They have a plane to catch,” he said. “Trust me, the pressure is on them. They have the best horse in the race. The pressure is on them.”

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Caracaro Breezes In Saratoga Slop For Self-Described ‘Derby Dreamers’

While Grade 1 Travers and Belmont Stakes-winner Tiz the Law pushed his work back a day due to sloppy conditions over the Saratoga main track, Travers runner-up Caracaro went back to work on an overcast Saturday morning, recording an easy five-furlong breeze for trainer Gustavo Delgado.

Heavy thunderstorms hit the Capital Region around 8:00 a.m. ET, resulting in sloppy conditions over the main track, but the show went on for the bay son of Uncle Mo, who went the first quarter in 25.60 seconds before finishing off his work in 1:01.02 under exercise rider J.J Delgado.

“We wanted something easy. In his first work after the Travers, we just want to see where we're at,” said Delgado's son and assistant Gustavo Delgado, Jr. “Ideally, we'll have [Hall of Fame jockey] Javier [Castellano] aboard next Saturday. We'll see during the week how he comes back from this work and where his energy level is at, but so far, he's doing well.”

Delgado said Caracaro is familiar with breezing over a wet track, having worked twice over a “wet fast” track in June at his home base of Gulfstream Park West.

“He kind of likes it. He does well over it,” Delgado, Jr. said.

Owned by Global Thoroughbred and Top Racing, Caracaro earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure in his second-out graduation in January at Gulfstream Park ahead of a strong runner-up effort to Country Grammer in the Grade 3 Peter Pan on July 16 at the Spa.

Last out, Caracaro garnered a career-best 101 Beyer when runner-up to likely Kentucky Derby favorite Tiz the Law in the Travers finishing 5 ¼ lengths behind the four-time Grade 1 winner.

Caracaro will be Delgado's third Kentucky Derby starter after Majesto [18th, 2016] and Bodexpress [13th, 2019], both of whom arrived at the “Run for the Roses” off runner-up efforts in the Grade 1 Florida Derby.

“We've always been Derby dreamers,” Delgado, Jr. said. “With Majesto and Bode, we were really trying to qualify for the big race. Bode was a maiden when he ran, and he was in the 21 post. We only needed one scratch and it was [morning line favorite] Omaha Beach. This one has shown so much talent since we got him. His speed figures are improving.”

Caracaro will put the finishing touches on his serious Kentucky Derby preparation next Saturday and is scheduled to fly out to Louisville the following day. He will be joined by Bodexpress, who worked five furlongs in 1:01.88 on Saturday, and will likely target an allowance event on Churchill Downs' Kentucky Derby undercard.

Bred in Kentucky by SF Racing, Caracaro was purchased as a weanling for $95,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November Sale, where he was consigned by Buckland Sales.

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