Run like the wind, Bullseye!

Or, you know, some other suitable "Toy Story" reference.

This upon the occasion of the 144th running of the Preakness Stakes, which was lacking the weirdness of the Kentucky Derby but substituted other weirdness. War of Will won, but not really. No, sir. The real winner of the Preakness was a rambunctious gamer named Bodexpress -- who, in the spirit of ol' Bullseye, ran like the wind without any human assistance whatsoever.

What happened was, when the gate opened, Bodexpress threw his jockey, Hall of Famer John Velazquez, who thankfully escaped unscathed. But that was only the beginning of the hijinks.

Apparently deciding the show must go on, Bodexpress proceeded to run the entirety of the Preakness riderless, and even surged past a clutch of horses down the stretch. That his bold dash didn't count -- he was ruled "did not finish" in the official tally -- doesn't change the fact he actually did finish, then ran one more lap around the track for good measure before being corralled without incident.

It also doesn't keep many of us from wondering just what sort of mutts Bodexpress finished in front of. Beaten by a riderless horse in the Preakness? Now there's a day you have to think will live in infamy for those Alpos.

In any event, it at least made the middle jewel of the Triple Crown interesting in a way it never would have otherwise, given that the horse that actually won the Kentucky Derby (Maximum Security) was pulled from the Preakness in a classic I'll-just-take-my-ball-and-go-home move by the owner. And the horse that was awarded the win after Maximum Security was DQ'ed, Country House, was ailing and didn't run, either.

So much for the drama. At least until Bodexpress' immortal solo journey.

Think Lindbergh. Only with four feet, fetlocks and withers.