Cody's Wish

Cody's Wish began his racing career at the age of three. After three third-place finishes at Belmont Park and Saratoga, Cody's Wish broke his maiden in October at Churchill Downs going one mile, with his namesake Cody Dorman in attendance.[5]

Cody's Wish finished the season with two more victories at Churchill in allowance company.

Cody's Wish's 2022 campaign began with a second-place finish in the Challenger Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. He was then sent to Belmont Park's Westchester Stakes in May, beating the short 5-horse field by an easy five lengths.[6]

After returning to Churchill to narrowly win the Hanshin Stakes, Cody's Wish was entered in the Grade I Forego Stakes at Saratoga going seven furlongs. After misbehaving in the starting gate, Cody's Wish settled toward the back of the seven-horse field, eventually roused by Junior Alvarado around the turn. He entered the stretch seven wide off the rail and rallied to upset champion Jackie's Warrior, who was softened up after being pressed for the lead, by 1 1/2 lengths.[7]

News of Cody Dorman, and the horse named after him, became more prominent in the period leading up to Cody's Wish's next start in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland.[3] When asked about Cody's Wish's chances before the race, Dorman replied "He will win."[8] Cody's Wish started from post 6 in the nine-horse Dirt Mile field, with Dorman allowed to watch the race from the winner's circle.[8] Again breaking slowly and traveling at the rear of the field, Cody's Wish once again rallied while wide on the final turn, eventually passing Cyberknife in the stretch and winning by a head.[9] NBC Sports race caller Larry Collmus summed up the finish with these words: "The wish has come true! That one's for you, Cody!"[10]

Cody's Wish's was named the 2022 winner of the Secretariat Vox Populi Award, which recognizes horses whose racing excellence best resounded with the public.[4] Dorman was awarded with the Big Sport of Turfdom Award by the Thoroughbred Publicists of America, which is given annually to those that enhance coverage of Thoroughbred racing through cooperation with media and racing publicists.[11]

Michael Banahan, director of bloodstock for Godolphin's U.S. operations, confirmed after the Breeders' Cup that Cody's Wish will remain in training for a 2023 campaign.[12]

In his first race as a five-year-old, the favorite Cody's Wish won the 2023 Churchill Downs Stakes in his fifth victory in a row. The NBC broadcast included a feature on Cody's Wish and Dorman,[13] who attended the race.[14]

On June 10, Cody's Wish was the 13/20 odds-on favorite in the GI Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park. Jockey Junior Alvarado, aboard Cody's Wish, quickly settled him as they raced eighth early while Dr. Schivel, Slow Down Andy, and Hoist the Gold dueled through a quarter-mile in :22.76. Hoist the Gold would open a half-length advantage through :45.86 when Cody's Wish unfurled his best, sweeping by rivals five-wide on his way to the wire with a 3+1⁄4 lengths victory in a time of 1:34.36.[15]

Cody's Wish was then pointed to the Whitney Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, his first race at the 1+1⁄8-mile distance in two years, on August 5. With Dorman again in attendance, Cody's Wish broke last in the six-horse field and closed to within four lengths of the lead down the backstretch. Although Cody's Wish moved again on the far turn, it was not enough, according to Mott, who said that "it wasn't the same acceleration that you saw at shorter distances. It was a totally different type of run." Cody's Wish finished third, beaten ten lengths by the Richard Dutrow-trained White Abarrio.[16] Mott said he had no regrets about how Cody's Wish ran,[16] and later in the month Michael Banahan of Godolphin also said that the horse came out of the race well, adding that the distance of the Whitney was "a good opportunity, though we will not do that again."[17] Banahan said that Cody's Wish would be pointed toward the seven-furlong Vosburgh Stakes at Aqueduct on September 30, followed by a defense of his Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile title at Santa Anita Park in November.[17] A win in the Vosburgh would earn Cody's Wish a guaranteed spot in the shorter Breeders' Cup Sprint, although the horse had already earned a spot in the Dirt Mile by winning the Metropolitan Handicap.[17]