Cody’s Wish became part of a heartwarming story as a foal when Cody Dorman paid a visit arranged by the Make-a-Wish Foundation to Godolphin’s Kentucky farm. Born with a rare genetic disorder (Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome) that robbed him of the ability to walk or speak and caused frequent seizures, Dorman formed a bond with a young son of Curlin and the Grade 1-winning mare Dance Card who, after coming over and investigating the wheelchair-bound boy, laid his head in his lap. Touched by the emotional connection between the boy and the colt, Godolphin named the colt “Cody’s Wish” in honor of the boy and of the granted wish from Make-a-Wish that made such a special moment possible. After Cody’s Wish earned a gritty maiden victory as a 3-year-old, Dorman and his family followed the career of Cody’s Wish throughout 2021, 2022, and 2023, and they were special guests of Godolphin when the horse came through with a fairytale finish by refusing to be defeated in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (USA-G1) and sealing American Horse of the Year honors. The following day, Cody Dorman died during his trip back from Santa Anita to Kentucky, leaving his namesake—now a young stallion—to carry on the story of a special friendship between a boy and a horse.
Race record
16 starts, 11 wins, 1 second, 4 thirds, US$3,106,030
2022:
2023:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 124 pounds in the Mile category on the 2023 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 11 pounds below overall highweight Equinox (the Japanese Horse of the Year) and 3 pounds below the top-rated miler, Big Rock, but tops among dirt runners.
Rated at 119 pounds in the Mile category on the 2022 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 21 pounds below overall highweight Flightline (who was also co-highweighted in the Mile category with 130 pounds, tying him with European Horse of the Year Baaeed).
As an individual
A strong bay horse who showed great determination on the track, Cody’s Wish has a relaxed and laid-back disposition. Regular jockey Junior Alvarado noted that while Cody’s Wish had a mind of his own and would not always follow up on his jockey’s cues, he became more responsive as he matured. He tended to do his best racing by coming off the pace and launching a powerful drive.
As a stallion
Cody’s Wish entered stud in Kentucky at Darley at Jonabell Farm in 2024.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Cody’s Wish was bred and owned by Godolphin. He was trained by Bill Mott and was regularly ridden by Junior Alvarado. Following his second Breeders’ Cup victory, he was retired to begin his stud career in Kentucky at Darley at Jonabell Farm in 2024.
Pedigree notes
Cody’s Wish is inbred 3x5x5 to Mr. Prospector. He is a half brother to 2023 WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile (USA-G2) winner Endorsed (by Medaglia d’Oro). He is also a half brother to Dance Music (by Ghostzapper), dam of 2024 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (USA-G1) winner East Avenue (by Medaglia d'Oro). The siblings are out of 2012 Gazelle Stakes (USA-G1) winner Dance Card, who in turn is out of the stakes-placed Editor’s Note mare Tempting Note.
Tempting Note was produced from Tempt (by Devil’s Bag), whose listed stakes-winning half sister Habar (by Track Barron) is the dam of restricted stakes winner Little Hero (by Valley Crossing). The next dam in Cody’s Wish’s tail-female line is multiple Grade 3 winner Thinghatab (by Al Hattab), a full sister to Grade 3 winner Tabayour and a half sister to stakes winner J. Rodney G. (by Bold Favorite). The female line traces back to the great matriarch La Troienne via Baby League.
Books and media
NBC Sports’s coverage of Cody’s Wish’s win in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP5AZ0QEI_4.
Fun facts
Last updated: October 6, 2024
Race record
16 starts, 11 wins, 1 second, 4 thirds, US$3,106,030
2022:
- Won Forego Stakes (USA-G1, 7FD, Saratoga)
- Won Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (USA-G1, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Westchester Stakes (USA-G3, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Hanshin Stakes (USA-L, 8FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Michelob Light Ultra Challenger Stakes (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Tampa Bay Downs)
2023:
- Won Churchill Downs Stakes (USA-G1, 7FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (USA-G1, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (USA-G1, 8FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Vosburgh Stakes (USA-G2, 7FD, Belmont-at-Aqueduct)
- 3rd Whitney Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Saratoga)
Honors
- Eclipse Award, American Horse of the Year (2023)
- Eclipse Award, American champion older dirt male (2023)
- Kentucky-bred Horse of the Year (2023)
- Kentucky-bred champion older male (2023)
- Secretariat Vox Populi Award (2022)
Assessments
Rated at 124 pounds in the Mile category on the 2023 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 11 pounds below overall highweight Equinox (the Japanese Horse of the Year) and 3 pounds below the top-rated miler, Big Rock, but tops among dirt runners.
Rated at 119 pounds in the Mile category on the 2022 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 21 pounds below overall highweight Flightline (who was also co-highweighted in the Mile category with 130 pounds, tying him with European Horse of the Year Baaeed).
As an individual
A strong bay horse who showed great determination on the track, Cody’s Wish has a relaxed and laid-back disposition. Regular jockey Junior Alvarado noted that while Cody’s Wish had a mind of his own and would not always follow up on his jockey’s cues, he became more responsive as he matured. He tended to do his best racing by coming off the pace and launching a powerful drive.
As a stallion
Cody’s Wish entered stud in Kentucky at Darley at Jonabell Farm in 2024.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Cody’s Wish was bred and owned by Godolphin. He was trained by Bill Mott and was regularly ridden by Junior Alvarado. Following his second Breeders’ Cup victory, he was retired to begin his stud career in Kentucky at Darley at Jonabell Farm in 2024.
Pedigree notes
Cody’s Wish is inbred 3x5x5 to Mr. Prospector. He is a half brother to 2023 WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile (USA-G2) winner Endorsed (by Medaglia d’Oro). He is also a half brother to Dance Music (by Ghostzapper), dam of 2024 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (USA-G1) winner East Avenue (by Medaglia d'Oro). The siblings are out of 2012 Gazelle Stakes (USA-G1) winner Dance Card, who in turn is out of the stakes-placed Editor’s Note mare Tempting Note.
Tempting Note was produced from Tempt (by Devil’s Bag), whose listed stakes-winning half sister Habar (by Track Barron) is the dam of restricted stakes winner Little Hero (by Valley Crossing). The next dam in Cody’s Wish’s tail-female line is multiple Grade 3 winner Thinghatab (by Al Hattab), a full sister to Grade 3 winner Tabayour and a half sister to stakes winner J. Rodney G. (by Bold Favorite). The female line traces back to the great matriarch La Troienne via Baby League.
Books and media
NBC Sports’s coverage of Cody’s Wish’s win in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP5AZ0QEI_4.
Fun facts
- From the moment that Cody’s Wish met Cody Dorman as a foal, he seemed to recognize the boy and would stop to greet him on those occasions when their paths crossed. Dorman, in turn, attended as many of Cody’s Wish’s races as he could, and the two became a living image of the bond between horses and humans and especially of the bond between horses and humans suffering from various disabilities and distresses.
- Cody Dorman’s connection to Cody’s Wish led to Dorman being recognized as the 2022 “Big Sport of Turfdom.” The award, given by the Turf Publicists of America, recognizes a person or group who enhances coverage of Thoroughbred racing through cooperation with racing media and publicists.
- The story of Cody’s Wish and Cody Dorman was voted the FanDuel/National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s “Moment of the Year” for 2022 after Cody’s Wish climaxed the year by winning the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. The same story repeated as the “Moment of the Year” after Cody’s Wish repeated in the 2023 Dirt Mile.
- Cody's Wish is the second horse to win back-to-back editions of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile; the first, Goldencents, won in 2013 and 2014.
Last updated: October 6, 2024