Multiple grade 1 winner Cody's Wish likely has one more race left in a brilliant career.
Judging by what happened Oct. 1 in the $250,000 Vosburgh Stakes (G2), it should be dazzling.
Putting a disappointing third-place finish Aug. 5 in the 1 1/8-mile Whitney Stakes (G1) behind him, the Godolphin homebred returned to what he does best in the sprint stakes at Belmont at the Big A and recorded a sharp 1 1/2-length victory over a game Accretive in the seven-furlong test.
"We'll probably retire him to stud at the end of the year," said Michael Banahan, bloodstock manager for Godolphin USA. "We got an extra year out and him and he achieved our major goal, which was winning the Metropolitan Handicap (G1)."
The final goal for the 5-year-old son of Curlin is an encore victory in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park and the Vosburgh illustrated why he should be heavily favored while seeking back-to-back wins in the two-turn, eight-furlong event at the World Championships. Despite breaking last in the Vosburgh, Cody's Wish moved into a contending position approaching the far turn and in the stretch the odds-on, 1-9 favorite ($2.30) edged away from grade 2-placed Accretive to cover the seven furlongs in a crisp 1:21.83.
"You are always going to be a little bit nervous after a loss, regardless of the situation around it," Banahan said, referring to Cody's Wish running as far as the 1 1/8-mile distance in the Whitney for just the second time. "So, it was good to see him in top form again."
In the eyes of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, the performance in Sunday's race, which was moved from Sept. 30 after that card was canceled due to 8.65 inches of rainfall at the Big A in recent days, was an ideal tune-up for the Dirt Mile.
"It wasn't earth-shattering, but just the fact that he won with slow pace is commendable. It was a good effort. You always worry about a race being too good. This should set him up nicely," said Mott, who was walking with the help of a cane 2 1/2 weeks after a hip replacement.
The son of the Tapit mare Dance Card will return to the Breeders' Cup with 10 wins in 15 starts, with four grade 1 victories. One of the sport's most heartwarming stories as he named for teenager Cody Dorman, who is suffering from Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, it was the bay horse's seventh win in eight starts, with the Whitney loss in his previous outing the lone blemish.
Klaravich Stable's Accretive, a 4-year-old Practical Joke gelding who was second in last year's Amsterdam Stakes (G2), set the early fractions of :23.33 and :46.12 but the 9-2 second choice could not fend off Cody's Wish in the final furlong. He came into the race off a pair of allowance wins in his two 2023 starts.
"He was second best," trainer Chad Brown said. "I told (jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.) that if he could get away with a :46 or :47 half that was the best chance of holding (Cody's Wish) off. But when I saw (Cody's Wish) in the paddock, I knew he was going to be tough to deal with. Bill and his staff had the horse looking like a billion dollars."
Brown said the Oct. 27 Forty Niner Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct could be next for Accretive.
Holly Crest Farm's New Jersey-bred Great Navigator was 3 1/4 lengths back in third.
Though the Vosburgh was a "Win and You're In" stakes for the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), the berth will go unused since Cody's Wish is headed to the Dirt Mile and already secured a spot to that race through his win in the Met Mile.
He is the first foal and lone stakes winner from Dance Card, while Curlin was the leading North American sire by number of grade 1 winners in 2021-22 and is currently the leader this year with five to date.
