Preakness, Bodexpress, sale-topper: The week in social media
War of Will wins the Preakness. Photo by Dottie Miller.
The world of social media had a lot to talk about over the past week as the 144th running of the Preakness Stakes took place, a loose horse became a superstar, and a record was made in the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic two-year-old sale.
Here’s the 411:
War of Will wins the Preakness!
The racing world turned its attention to the state of Maryland over the weekend as the 144th running of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes took place.
The $1.5 million Preakness Stakes may have lacked some of the star power that it has possessed in recent years as Maximum Security, the horse who had crossed the wire first in the Kentucky Derby and was disqualified, and Country House, the horse who was declared the winner by virtue of the disqualification, were both absent from the event. But it was a terrific betting race, featuring a big, evenly matched field that included some Derby runners looking to bounce back and new shooters hoping to move up in the division. The 1 3/16-mile challenge went to War of Will, in what can only be described as fitting display of redemption.
In the Kentucky Derby, War of Will nearly went to the ground when Maximum Security moved into his path, which ultimately resulted in the controversial disqualification. However, in the Preakness Stakes, the unflappable Mark Casse trainee got a fair chance to prove what he was made of and left his rivals in the dust by 1 ¼ lengths. With jockey Tyler Gaffalione in the saddle, War of Will completed the race in a final time of 1:54.34 over a fast track before being adorned in a cape of Black-Eyed Susans.
War of Will is expected to make his next start in the Belmont Stakes on June 8.
Bodexpress, world traveler
War of Will was not the only colt in the Preakness Stakes to make headlines on social media over the past week. Bodexpress, the colt who lost his rider at the start of the race, became an internet sensation in the wake of his unusual Preakness performance.
Drama struck the moment the starting gates opened, when 20-1 longshot Bodexpress reared in the starting gate and bucked jockey John Velazquez off. Velazquez fortunately emerged from the incident unharmed, but Bodexpress wasn’t done yet. The Gustavo Delgado trainee, who had finished 13th in the Kentucky Derby, took off with the rest of the field, completing the race without a rider.
After crossing the finish line, Bodexpress turned and began to make a second lap around the track of Old Hilltop. Luckily his excursion was short lived, as he was captured by outrider and former jockey, Kaymarie Kreidel and her off-the-track Thoroughbred, Witch Hunter.
Social media has had fun over the week sharing the story of the spirited Bodexpress, who simply wanted to run his race, rider or not.
One pricey filly
Social media lit up in the wake of history this week, as a Mid-Atlantic record was made during the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.
A bay filly by Into Mischief caught the eye of many spectators during the under-tack show on May 15 at the Timonium Fairgrounds, when she drilled the fastest furlong of the day in :10 flat. Sparks then began to fly when the filly entered the sales ring a few days later on May 21, with the bidding raging higher than ever before in this particular sale. The hammer fell at a record-breaking price of $1.8 million, with the final bid going to Michael Lund Petersen, with the help of his agent, Donato Lanni.
Labeled as Hip 360 from the consignment of Bobby Dodd, the Into Mischief filly will now be placed in the training care of Hall of Fame trainer, Bob Baffert.
