Bodexpress could go in BC

MIAMI – The Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile is now under consideration for Bodexpress following his near record-setting performance in Saturday’s allowance feature at Gulfstream Park West.

Bodexpress led throughout while cruising to a one-sided 11 1/4-length tally as the 2-5 favorite here Saturday, his final time of 1:42.53 just .01 slower than Mr. Jordan’s 1 1/16mile course record set nearly two years earlier. Bodexpress would have likely broken the mark had jockey Emisael Jaramillo not eased up on him some through the final 40 yards with the outcome no longer in doubt.

Bodexpress received a careerbest 102 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort, one point better than his previous high set here a year ago for a similarly easy allowance win at one mile.

“He really loves this track, which is why we were very confident going into the race,” said Gustavo Delgado Jr., assistant to his father, trainer Gustavo Delgado. “I would say this was probably his best effort yet. The good thing is he came out of the race well. It was a pretty easy race for him. It really hasn’t seemed to have taken a lot out of him.”

Delgado had said immediately after the race that the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on Nov. 27 was under consideration for Bodexpress’s next start. But less than 48 hours later, after assessing their options, Delgado said the owners are now thinking about the Dirt Mile at Keeneland on Nov. 7. Bodexpress is owned in partnership by Global Thoroughbreds LLC, Top Racing LLC, and the senior Delgado’s GDS Racing Stable,

“The main thing about the Dirt Mile is that it’s around two turns at Keeneland, which suits him perfectly,” the younger Delgado said. “The subject of going to the Breeders’ Cup just came up this morning, so we’ll need a few days to assess everything before making a final decision. One concern is whether he’d be able to get into the field if the race were to overfill, which looks very possible. If not, the Clark would likely be the choice, since he’s already shown he runs well at Churchill Downs.”

Lopez back in the fold

Paco Lopez, who won the 2019 Gulfstream Park West riding title, will return locally on Wednesday fresh off a second straight Monmouth Park jockey championship. Lopez is listed to ride in five of the eight races on the card including the featured sixth event, a $43,000 allowance for fillies and mares scheduled to be run at five furlongs on the turf, weather permitting.

Lopez is named aboard both Thinkin Cowtown and main track-only entrant R Prerogative for trainer Georgina Baxter, the latter likely a solid favorite if the race is switched to the dirt. Thinkin Cowtown also figures among the major players should the headliner go as scheduled on turf following a third-place finish behind the red-hot Heir Ball in a similarly conditioned race restricted to Florida-breds at Gulfstream Park on Sept. 6.

Heir Ball, a winner of three of four starts since claimed for a bargain $16,000 by trainer Carlos David at Gulfstream on May 7, looms the public’s choice although she could find herself pushed early by the equally quick Swirling Candy. Catch a Thrill, second in four of her last five starts, will also garner plenty of support as she looks to get back on a winning track for the first time since taking a maiden race impressively in her career debut at Gulfstream in January 2019.

◗ After going unsolved over the first 11 days of the meet, the Rainbow 6 jackpot was taken down on Sunday to the tune of a $249,204 payday to one lucky player. Victories by the 31-1 Myfirstexwife and the 15-1 Running for Riz in the afternoon’s co-features keyed a sequence that began with 6-5 favorite Galit Jake and concluded with the 7-2 Shendam, one of nine horses in the 12-horse field alive in the finale for the entire jackpot.