Thoroughbred racing's tear-jerking, feel-good story added another chapter and more tears on Kentucky Derby Day as Cody's Wish stormed down the stretch to win the Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) in his 2023 debut.
Before and after the race, the Godolphin son of Curlin greeted his namesake Cody Dorman, a teenager who has a rare genetic disorder known as Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome. The horse stopped before the boy on the way into the paddock, and then, after the winner's circle photo, bowed his head to the boy.
"There's so much involved with this horse winning," trainer Bill Mott said. "It's just really way more than just a horse race for us. Cody Dorman and Cody's Wish they make it pretty special. It's a storybook."
A story that isn't getting old for the industry or the boy's family, especially as the horse stops to notice Cody.
"Every time I see it, man, it's like the first time I've ever seen it," Cody's father Kelly Dorman said afterward. "It's just a book that's writing itself, that's for sure. It's unbelievable. He always looks for Cody when we're around. It always gives me chills."
Cody's 9-year-old sister Kylie Dorman wasn't the only one crying at the sight. Mott said he gets choked up pretty easy, but even he is taken aback at the connection between horse and boy.
"It was almost like there is really a connection there and we don't usually see that with horses," Mott said. "It's usually who's going to feed me? But in this case it seems like…the horse knows something is special. It means so much to this young man, and some people don't have much to look forward to, but he's got Cody."
After closing last season with four straight stakes wins capped by a narrow victory in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland, Cody's Wish was making his 5-year-old debut the $750,000 Derby Day stakes seeking a third straight grade 1 win.
Cody's Wish is now a perfect five for five at Churchill Downs.
On a day when speed largely prevailed on the Churchill dirt track, Cody's Wish—as is his typical style—came from off the pace to win by 4 3/4-lengths in the 88th Churchill Downs Stakes for 4-year-olds and up. The time was 1:21.17.
"I was a little worried that no horse was coming from off the pace today, but I can't change his style," regular jockey Junior Alvarado said. "… I did what I had to do to get him comfortable there and he was just much the best."
Rounding the turn, Cody's Wish was making his move. "He showed another gear today that he hasn't shown before," Alvarado said.
Chris Landeros, jockey of third-place finisher Tejano Twist, said he was surprised how fast Cody's Wish passed him.
"I have to be honest, I was caught off guard by Cody's Wish," Landeros said. "I was sitting where I wanted to be. I was comfortable, following Endorsed (eighth), and I actually took a peak over and I didn't quite see Junior (Alvarado). The minute I started riding forward, he was on me in two jumps."
It was such another gear that it did nothing to dampen hopes of Cody's Wish's connections for a campaign that could make him a contender for Horse of the Year.
"We were hoping for a big start to his campaign this year," Godophin's Michael Banahan said. "We think it can be a very special year for him with the races we've lined up for him…maybe a Horse-of-the-Year-type campaign here. We know he's of that quality anyway."
Cody's Wish's connections said the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park June 10 is the likely next race, but Mott chuckled at Banahan's announced Horse of the Year hopes.
"We're going to take it one race at a time," Mott said. "We all know that if you run horses enough sooner or later they can get beat."
Banahan said the horse had a great winter in Florida and has been training well.
"Even as big a horse as he is, he just filled out, got stronger," Banahan said.
Out of grade 1-winning Tapit mare Dance Card, the homebred Cody's Wish is a half brother to grade 2 winner Endorsed and stakes-placed Bocephus, both by Medaglia d'Oro . Dance Card also has a 2-year-old Into Mischief colt, a Street Sense yearling filly, and was bred to Gun Runner this year.
Cody's Wish earned $446,400 for the victory that improved his earnings to $1,778,530 with a record of 8-1-3 from 12 starts. Cody's Wish went off as the 3-5 favorite off of a 4-5 morning line in the field of nine after White Abarrio and C Z Rocket were scratched.
Hoist the Gold, ridden by Luis Saez, was second, a half-length in front of Tejano Twist.
"He ran big," Saez said. "We broke sharp, sat in second, and were traveling very comfortable. We came down the stretch and he never gave up. The winner was pretty good."
Tejano Twist "ran a great race," Landeros said.
According to the Equibase chart, fourth-place finisher Here Mi Song, the early pacesetter, "faltered late in the stretch (and was) vanned off after the race."
So the next chapter for Cody's Wish if all goes well is next month at Belmont.
"We all want the story to continue, but we want it for the family as well," Banahan said.
