Sophomore Earns First Stakes Win in Local Preakness Prep
 

BALTIMORE, MD., 04/18/15 --- Experience and a heady ride from jockey Trevor McCarthy proved to be a winning combination for Bodhisattva in the $100,000 Federico Tesio for 3-year-olds Saturday at Pimlico Race Course. 

Owned and trained by Jose Corrales, the stakes-tested Student Council colt coasted through comfortable early fractions and had plenty left in the stretch to turn back Noteworthy Peach and win the 1 1/16-mile Tesio by 1 ½ lengths. 

It was another 6 ¾ lengths back to 6-5 favorite All Hands, who finished a neck in front of Ghost Bay, the Maryland-bred champion 2-year-old colt of 2014. Slick William and Top of Mind completed the order of finish.

A strong break from post 6 saw Bodhisattva challenge All Hands for the early lead before taking command as the field left the clubhouse turn, going in 24.95 seconds for the opening quarter-mile. All Hands and jockey Fernando Jara, coming off a front-running maiden victory at Aqueduct four weeks earlier, settled in second as they went a half-mile in 49.15. 

“It was pretty clear with the soft fractions that we got away with one,” McCarthy said. “I thought [All Hands] would go with me and I actually yelled to Fernando, ‘Go on with it,’ but he didn’t; he took back. I said, ‘Ok, this is our race. Let’s go for it.’ He went out there with the easy fractions and we actually re-broke at the quarter pole.” 

As All Hands began to drop back, Noteworthy Peach moved up to challenge Bodhisattva on his outside and stuck a head in front as they rounded the final turn. The horses matched strides down the stretch before Bodhisattva ($10.80), third choice at 4-1, edged away in the final eighth of a mile to hit the wire in 1:45.18.

“I was surprised. I mean, I was going slow and thought this was a dream come true. Then, he gave me a new gear at the eighth pole,” McCarthy said. “He really dug in and fought, and I hadn’t seen that side of him before today.”

Fifth in the Remsen (G2) last fall, Bodhisattva was fourth, beaten a half-length, in the Miracle Wood in February and second in the March 21 Private Terms, both at Laurel Park. The California-bred colt is nominated to the Triple Crown, and Corrales said he would monitor the horse before looking at the second jewel, the $1.5 million Preakness (G1) May 16 at Pimlico.

“Everybody wishes for that, but I want to see how everything goes from here,” he said. “The horse tells me when he’s going to run next. I don’t pick a race in advance until I find out how a horse is coming out of the race and how he is getting ready for the next one. He ran well today.”

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said he was not disappointed in the effort of All Hands, making his stakes debut in just his third lifetime start.

“I thought we might be on the lead. The eventual winner took that spot from us coming out of the first turn. They weren’t going that fast,” he said. “I think he would have been better off on the lead with a clean face, but that happens. He ran on gamely to hang on for third. We’ll regroup and probably go back to an allowance race next time.”