Bodemeister (foaled April 28, 2009) is a Thoroughbred race horse who won the 2012 Arkansas Derby[2] and finished second to I'll Have Another in the 2012 Kentucky Derby[3] and 2012 Preakness Stakess. He went on to become the sire of 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming.

Bodemeister
Bodemeister at the 2012 Kentucky Derby.
SireEmpire Maker
GrandsireUnbridled
DamUntouched Talent
DamsireStorm Cat
SexStallion
Foaled2009
CountryUnited States
ColorBay
BreederAudley Farm
Ownertürk Jokey kulübü
TrainerBob Baffert
Record6:2-4-0
Earnings$1,104,800[1]
Major wins
Arkansas Derby (2012)

Background

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Bodemeister is a Bay horse with a white blaze. He was named after Bode Baffert, the son of his trainer, Bob Baffert .[4] His pedigree includes notable horses such as his grandsire Unbridled and his damsire Storm Cat. The colt was sired by the Belmont Stakes winner Empire Maker out of the mare Untouched Talent.[5] He was sold as a yearling at the Keeneland September sales for $260,000.[6]

Racing career

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Bodemeister did not race as a 2-year-old,[7] but emerged as a 3-year-old to come in second in the 2012 San Felipe Stakes,[8] then win the Arkansas Derby.[9]

Bodemeister was widely considered one of the favorites to win the 2012 Kentucky Derby.[10][11] Ridden by jockey Mike Smith[12] Bodemeister led the Kentucky Derby from the start until 150 yards remained, when he was overtaken by I'll Have Another, leaving Bodemeister to finish in second place.[13] The race came five weeks after Baffert was hospitalized in Dubai due to a heart attack.[14]

Bodemeister was made favorite ahead of I'll Have Another by odds-makers in the 2012 Preakness Stakes on 19 May.[15] The race developed in similar fashion to the Kentucky Derby, with Bodemeister leading until the final 50 yards, when he was caught by I'll Have Another and finished second by a neck.[16]

Baffert announced afterward that Bodemeister would not race in the 2012 Belmont Stakes. On August 21 it was announced that Bodemeister had been diagnosed with an injury to his left shoulder and would retire to stud.

Stud career

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Bodemeister in retirement

Bodemeister entered stud at WinStar Farm in Versailles, Kentucky for the 2013 breeding season. His first foals reached racing age in 2016. Bodemeister saw his first winner on May 11, 2016, when gray filly Bode's Dream won a maiden race at Gulfstream Park.[citation needed]

Bodemeister made the news when an unusual white-headed colt with splashed white markings was born on June 5, 2016, later named Southern Phantom. "In 35 years in the industry I've never seen a Thoroughbred like this," said trainer Eric Guillot. "The mare hasn't thrown anything unusual before, but Bodemeister throws a lot of white. I've got a few by him with stockings and other markings, but this one's unique. It looks like he dunked his head into a five-gallon bucket of white paint."[17]

Bodemeister's stud fee for 2017 was originally $25,000, but the fee was removed after Always Dreaming won Kentucky Derby 143.[18]

He is the sire of 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming from his first crop of foals,[19] as well as stakes-placed runners O Dionysus, American Anthem, Bode's Dream, Dharmaster, and the filly Kenda.[citation needed]

Pedigree

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Pedigree of Bodemeister[20]
Sire
Empire Maker
B. 2000
Unbridled
1987
Fappiano
1977
Mr. Prospector 1970
Killaloe 1970
Gana Facil
1981
Le Fabueleux 1961
Charedi 1976
Toussaud
1989
El Gran Senor
1981
Northern Dancer 1961
Sex Appeal 1970
Image of Reality
1976
In Reality 1964
Edee's Image 1969
Dam
Untouched Talent
Ch. 2004
Storm Cat
1983
Storm Bird
1978
Northern Dancer 1961
South Ocean 1967
Terlingua
1976
Secretariat 1970
Crimson Saint 1969
Parade Queen
1994
A.P. Indy
1989
Seattle Slew 1974
Weekend Surprise 1980
Spanish Parade
1988
Roberto 1969
Nijit 1977
  • Bodemeister is inbred 4 × 4 to the stallion Northern Dancer, meaning that the latter appears twice in the fourth generation of his pedigree.

References

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  1. ^ "Horse Racing Leaders". ESPN. 24 April 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  2. ^ Jay Privman (14 April 2012). "Bodemeister romps in Ark. Derby". Daily Racing Form. ESPN. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  3. ^ Pat Forde (5 May 2012). "Bodemeister's brilliant run at Kentucky Derby goes for naught". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  4. ^ Claire Novak (14 May 2012). "Bodemeister huge in defeat". ESPN. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  5. ^ "#750 Bodemeister 2009" (PDF). kentuckyderby.com. 16 April 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-05-14. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  6. ^ "Bodemeister (VA)". Blood-Horse. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  7. ^ Jeff Frank (16 April 2012). "Can Bodemeister snap a 130-year-old Kentucky Derby jinx?". The Sports Network. Miami Herald. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  8. ^ Steve Anderson (11 March 2012). "Creative Cause outduels Bodemeister". Daily Racing Form. ESPN. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  9. ^ Jason Frakes (14 April 2012). "Bodemeister wins Arkansas Derby by bodacious 9½ lengths". Courier-Journal. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  10. ^ Steven Crist (16 April 2012). "Bodemeister: Start Of Something Special?". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  11. ^ "Bodemeister cruises to win at Arkansas Derby". Associated Press. ESPN. 14 April 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  12. ^ Mike Smith (5 May 2012). "A bright future for Bodemeister". ESPN. Archived from the original on May 9, 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  13. ^ Harris, Beth (2012-05-05). "Canadian-owned I'll Have Another wins Kentucky Derby". CBC Sports. Toronto. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2012-05-07. Retrieved 2012-05-05.
  14. ^ "I'll Have Another wins 138th Derby". Associated Press. ESPN. 5 May 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  15. ^ "Pimlico Race 12" (PDF). Equibase Company. 19 May 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  16. ^ Jack Shinar (19 May 2012). "Just One More for I'll Have Another". Blood Horse. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  17. ^ "Unusual White-Headed Foal Arrives in Kentucky". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  18. ^ "I'll Have Another wins Preakness". Associated Press. ESPN. 19 May 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  19. ^ Angst, Frank. "Always Dreaming True in Kentucky Derby Win". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  20. ^ "Bodemeister Horse Pedigree". Pedigree Online. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
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