BALTIMORE, MD — At the 144th running of the Preakness Stakes, a horse who ran the race without a rider was a focal point despite the fact that he was near the back of the pack. War of Will won the second jewel of the Triple Crown, completing the 1 3/16-mile race in 1:54:34 minutes. Coming in second was Everfast, followed by Owendale, who took third.
Bodexpress, whose odds were 20-1 going into the race, bucked off jockey John Velasquez at the gate.
Without a rider, the horse stayed the course and ran another lap afterward.
Bodexpress was “not behaving,” Velasquez said in an interview with NBC after the race. Before the start, the horse was fussing at the gate and pushing his rider into the side of the stall, he said.
The favorite, Improbable, came in sixth, and he also had an unsettling start.
“He was acting pretty well, and then he got fired up,” Improbable’s trainer Bob Baffert told the Associated Press. “He got in the gate, and when he did that, I knew that was it.”
Baffert, who has had seven Preakness wins, explained that “when horses do that it just takes a lot of energy out.” He said it also makes the track more dangerous for contenders.
The order of the finishers was as follows:
Rules dictated that Bodexpress was a starter in the race but was not considered among the finishers because he did not have his jockey aboard.
SEE ALSO:Winner Declared At 2019 Preakness, Where 1 Horse Raced Riderless
In case you missed it, watch the race below.
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There were 131,256 attendees at the 144th Preakness Stakes, according to The Stronach Group, which owns the race course. Scroll to the bottom to see scenes from the event.
Organizers said that the total handle on Pimlico’s 14-race program on Saturday, May 18, was a record-breaking $99.8 million, surpassing the $93,655,128 million in bets wagered in 2018.
“The 144th Preakness Stakes surpassed our expectations thanks to the horsemen and fans who came to celebrate this grand Maryland tradition,” Chair/President of The Stronach Group Belinda Stronach said in a statement.
More than 20,000 people came to InfieldFest, where Grammy Award-winning deejay Diplo parachuted across the finish line.
“It makes for an unforgettable day of entertainment when you combine the world’s top performers with the best Thoroughbred horses and jockeys at one of the most celebrated sporting events,” Stronach said. “The Preakness is second to none.”
Here’s a glimpse from Preakness Day:
Jockey Tyler Gaffalione rides War of Will into the winner’s circle at the 144th Preakness Stakes hosted by The Stronach Group in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Stronach Group)
The Woodlawn Vase sits ready to be presented to the winner of the 144th Preakness Stakes. The trophy is valued at $4 million and is guarded at all times. Winners get to take home replicas of the Tiffany & Co.-designed trophy, which weighs 29 pounds. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Stronach Group)
Tyler Gaffalione rides War of Will into the winner’s circle at the 144th Preakness Stakes hosted by The Stronach Group in Baltimore. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Stronach Group)
Vanessa Williams sings the national anthem before the 144th Preakness Stakes. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Stronach Group)
Jill Baffert and Bob Baffert at The Stronach Group Chalet. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Stronach Group)
Diplo parachutes into Pimlico and performs at InfieldFest. (Photos by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Stronach Group)
InfieldFest performers included Norwegian superstar Kygo, Montgomery County rap artist Logic, Billboard Music Awards Top New Artist winner Juice WRLD, Australian house/techno producer FISHER and rising Canadian star Frank Walker.
Music producer Robin Thicke and retired NFL player Brian Poli-Dixon at The Stronach Group Chalet at the 144th Preakness Stakes hosted by The Stronach Group in Baltimore. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Stronach Group)
Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Laura Ripken and Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. were among the VIPs at the 144th Preakness Stakes hosted by The Stronach Group in Baltimore. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Stronach Group)
Left to right, Debby Clarke Belichick, New England Patriots Coach Bill Belichick and Belinda Stronach at The Stronach Group Chalet at the 144th Preakness Stakes hosted by The Stronach Group in Baltimore. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Stronach Group)
Actress Victoria Justice (center) with members of the Naval Academy Glee Club at the 144th Preakness Stakes hosted by The Stronach Group in Baltimore. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Stronach Group)
The Associated Press contributed to this report.