Bodexpress ran the entire Preakness without his jockey

That horse threw his jockey, John Velazquez, to the dirt immediately out of the gate, but he didn't stop. Bodexpress ran the entire race, mostly on the outside of the track, with no rider, finishing behind the other horses. He continued to run on the track after the race ended and for a while avoided outriders trying to catch him.

Officially, though, Bodexpress is listed as a did not finish (DNF).

"He was just not behaving good in the gate," Velazquez said to NBC. "He was not standing really well. He got me up against the wall in the gate. When the doors opened, I was standing up right from the start and I kind of jumped sideways. I had my feet out of the irons. I lost my balance, and I went off."

Velazquez was not injured.

"I'm good, I'm good," he said to NBC. "It's just disappointing when you come in here for a big race like this. Things like this happen with horses, so it's disappointing."

It's been a bizarre triple crown racing season in 2019.

It started May 4, when Maximum Security led the Kentucky Derby from wire to wire and crossed the finish line 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Country House but was disqualified for interference while turning for home. Racing stewards decided that Maximum Security impacted the progress of War of Will, which in turn interfered with Long Range Toddy and Bodexpress. Country House was declared the winner.

Gary West, the owner of Maximum Security, has sued in federal court to overturn Maximum Security's Kentucky Derby disqualification.

West made waves again when on the eve of the Preakness Stakes he offered as much as $20 million to the owners of four other horses if they can best his in their next race through the end of the year.

West's challenge extends to owners of Country House, War of Will, Long Range Toddy and Bodexpress. West says he will pay $5 million to the owner of any of those four horses that beats Maximum Security next time around.

"Most experts agree that Maximum Security was the best horse in the Kentucky Derby," West said in issuing his challenge. "I don't care to discuss the controversy surrounding the events of the race and the disqualification of my horse at this time, but I firmly believe I have the best 3-year-old in the country and I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is."

West asks that the owners of the other horses give him the same amount each if Maximum Security comes out ahead of theirs. He said he would donate any winnings to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.

For the first time since 1951, none of the top three finishers of the Kentucky Derby competed in the Preakness. The last time a Derby winner didn't go on to compete in the Preakness was 1996, when Derby winner Grindstone was injured during the race and retired directly afterward.

The final race of the triple crown, the Belmont Stakes, is June 8 in Elmont, New York.

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