Cody’s Wish chases first two wins at BC Dirt Mile
For a horse with a record of 5 eats 5 at a mile, Godolphin’s Cody’s Wish Surprisingly there is one question that needs answering on November 5 Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland. Will he be able to succeed in the two-turn condition of the race?
All of his starting five miles revolve around a turn, or at Churchill Downs or Belmont Park, racetracks due to the length of their backrests and back slides may be suitable for such races. Keeneland has a back slide, but it’s not long enough to run a mile, with its maximum sprint distance being seven miles and 184 feet from what it calls Beard Yard.
“It’s a different kind of racing for him. Maybe we could add some dirt to the end of that slide in Keeneland and stretch it out a mile at a time,” said Hall of Fame coach Bill Mott. quipped during a conference call with reporters on October 26.
Instead, Cody’s Wish will face a short run on the first turn, which could potentially lead to multiple opponents vying for positions, and a short run after leaving the second turn. Mile races end at Keeneland, a track 1/16 mile in circumference, at what is usually the sixteenth pole.
“Two passes add a bit of a challenge,” said Mott. “To be honest, I probably prefer the distance (one turn).” “He’s a big horse, and I think a mile and a long straight in the back might give him a chance to get a little better at his stride, a little more time, instead. because we have to negotiate the first move.”
Cody’s Wish was bred to handle a route, by Curlin out of 1st grade win the bet Tapit mare Dance Cards , but he was only able to win minor prizes in the previous two starts, both on longer trips. He finished third in the 1/8 mile girls race at Racecourse Saratoga in July 2021, and Monday, hit in the neck by Scaling up in 1 1/16 miles $100,000 Michelob Ultra Challenger Staking (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs March 12.
“For the two-turn race that he’s had in Tampa, he really has every chance,” Mott said. “Whether it’s distance, and we know that it’s also a two-turn, but I’m happy to have shortened a mile.”
Since the Challenger, he has racked up three straight wins — taking a Westchester Stock (G3) in Belmont, a Hanshin Stock presented by the JRA at Churchill Downs, and a Forego Stock (G1) in Saratoga. He took down the sprint champion Jackie’s Warrior to win the race after more than seven feathers.
(LR): Riley Mott hugs her father Bill Mott after Cody’s Wish win in Forego
The foal’s high performance — plus the moving story of a pony named after Cody Dorman, a teenager with a rare genetic disorder known as Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome — made Cody’s Wish a go-to. warehouse and fan favorite.
Mott said: “Cody sent a text message before his race and predicted how he would run. “So far, he’s been pretty outstanding. I don’t know what his prediction for the Breeders’ Cup is, but I hope he puts him right there.”