Top Racing, Global Thoroughbred, and Gustavo Delgado's Bodexpress will look to dominate the $85,000 Alydar Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile test at Saratoga Race Course for 4-year-olds and up who have not won a stakes this year other than state-bred.
Trained by Delgado, graded stakes-placed Bodexpress was a late scratch before the start of the July 18 Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park. He was rerouted to the Aug. 9 Alydar at his base at the Spa under the care of the conditioner's son and assistant trainer, Gustavo Delgado Jr.
Bodexpress was also under consideration for last weekend's Whitney Stakes (G1), won by Improbable , and Delgado Jr. expressed regret at not entering the colt in the talented field of five.
"We were planning to enter him in the Whitney, and we were regretting not doing it because that race had no pace. (A quarter-mile went) in :25, and almost :50 (for the half-mile)," he said. "He probably would have been on the lead, and not to say that he would have won it, but second or third in the Whitney would have been good."
The 4-year-old Bodemeister colt has breezed twice on the Saratoga main track since scratching at Monmouth, including a five-furlong breeze in 1:02.66 Aug. 2 under Javier Castellano, who has the call from post 5.
Bodexpress became an internet sensation after unseating John Velazquez in last year's Preakness Stakes (G1). Delgado Jr. said providing Castellano an opportunity to hop aboard the quirky colt in advance of Sunday's race was important.
"Last Sunday he breezed with Castellano on him, and he really liked him," Delgado Jr. said. "He's got more confidence in him now. It's always good to get to know him first."
A runner-up as a maiden in last year's Curlin Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park, Bodexpress placed 13th in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), ultimately graduating in October in a mile-and-70-yard maiden tilt at Gulfstream Park West. He completed his eventful sophomore season with a third in the Harlan's Holiday Stakes (G3) at the Florida track.
Bodexpress has made three starts this season at Gulfstream, including a fifth-place finish in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) and a last-out third in the Hal's Hope Stakes (G3) at the Alydar distance.
Winchell Thoroughbreds' Tenfold, a multiple graded stakes-winning son of Curlin , captured the 2018 Jim Dandy Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G2) at Saratoga before finishing seventh in the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1).
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Tenfold will make his return to the Spa off a third in the June 6 Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park, a 10-furlong event won by Improbable.
Jose Ortiz has the ride on Tenfold from post 6.
Godolphin homebred Endorsed , a 4-year-old Medaglia d'Oro colt, finished second to Code of Honor two starts back in the June 6 Westchester Stakes (G3), a one-turn, 1 1/16 mile test at Belmont Park.
Trained by Bill Mott, Endorsed has shown good form at Saratoga, where he graduated in a maiden sprint in August 2018 and last year added a second in the 1 1/8-mile Curlin Stakes. He also rallied for fourth in the Travers.
Endorsed will be looking for his third win of 2020 following allowance optional claiming scores in January at Gulfstream for now-retired trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and at Oaklawn Park in May at first asking for Mott.
Joel Rosario, aboard for a last-out seventh in the July 4 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont, retains the mount from the inside post.
Saratoga Race Course, Sunday, August 9, 2020, Race 9Entries: Alydar S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Endorsed (KY) Joel Rosario 122 William I. Mott 7/5 2 2Backsideofthemoon (KY) Manuel Franco 118 Robert P. Klesaris 15/1 3 3Spinoff (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 Todd A. Pletcher 5/1 4 4Its All Relevant (KY) Dylan Davis 122 Rudy R. Rodriguez 6/1 5 5Bodexpress (KY) Javier Castellano 118 Gustavo Delgado 5/2 6 6Tenfold (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 124 Steven M. Asmussen 4/1
