This Jockey-Less Horse Was the True Star of the Preakness Stakes

Bodexpress captured America's hearts after running the entire race without a jockey.

Bodexpress
Getty

Image via Getty/Rob Carr

Bodexpress

It's been a wild month in the world of horse racing.

Weeks after the controversial Kentucky Derby results, audiences are now debating about which horse came out on top at the 144th Preakness Stakes. OK, fine: War of Will was technically the victor, but Bodexpress was the undeniable star.

The No. 9 horse exploded out of the gate, throwing jockey John Velazquez to the ground. Bodexpress wasn't fazed, though. The horse kept running and running until he passed the finish line—much to the amusement of spectators.

Bodexpress tossed his jockey right out of the gate at Preakness. Jockey is ok. Horse kept running pic.twitter.com/n9VdWrmbim

— Jayne Miller (@jemillerbalt) May 18, 2019

War of Will technically won the race, but the jockey-less horse is the true #Preakness MVP. pic.twitter.com/CKBXx5QTpE

— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) May 18, 2019

Though he ran the track without a jockey, Bodexpress did not interfere with any of the other horses. Hall-of-famer Valaquez walked away uninjured, but said he was disappointed by Saturday's events.

"He wasn't behaving well in the gate," Velazquez told NBC following the race. "He got me against the wall. Obviously, when the doors opened, I was [thrust] off. I lost my balance, and went off. I'm disappointed. To come into a big race like this. Some things like this happen with horses. But I'm just disappointed."

Check out some of the reaction's to Bodexpress' run in the tweets below.

Jockey: "I'm gonna take my horse to the old town road"

Horse: "Can't nobody tell me nothing" pic.twitter.com/Afykox5Mj5

— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) May 18, 2019

Bodexpress in the #Preakness #Preakness2019 pic.twitter.com/NKWMRoNUJh

— Drew Da Vinci (@brain_fuzz) May 18, 2019

More people should be like Bodexpress, buck the people that hold you back and ride free. pic.twitter.com/XyN9XyHjMp

— Shaun Salehi (@ShaunSalehi) May 18, 2019

I’ve never rooted so hard for a horse as I just did for jockyless Bodexpress

— Jesse Riffe (@JesseRiffe) May 18, 2019

This jockey-less horse is the real MVP #Preakness pic.twitter.com/p8KnUyXUmG

— Joe C. (@HeyJoeC) May 18, 2019

Did anyone actually watch the #Preakness? I could not take my eyes off of #Bodeexpress.

He is the horse we didn’t realize we needed! What a hero!

Him running that race without a jockey and totally free was one of the best things in sports I have seen in a long time. pic.twitter.com/Nxh3ywqYnh

— Ben Williamson (@benlwilliamson) May 18, 2019

As soon as that jockey fell off all of America was rooting for that horse to win #Preakness

— J (@JDMichael1) May 18, 2019

Let me get this straight... there was a crazy end to the Kentucky Derby where the horse that crossed first wasn't the winner, then the Preakness had a jockeyless horse that *didn't finish last* ... what on earth is in store for the Belmont?

— Sarah Baicker (@sbbaicker) May 18, 2019

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