In 2022, Cody’s Wish and his bond with a young man stricken with a rare genetic disorder gave racing its feel-good story of the year. Somewhat overlooked was the horse’s race record, which included four wins from five starts and a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. While the bond between Cody’s Wish and Cody Dorman remained a major story in 2023, Cody’s Wish earned headlines for his supreme talent, which could very well carry him to an Eclipse Award as North America’s top older dirt male horse, leading male sprinter, and possibly Horse of the Year. In 2023, Cody’s Wish repeated as winner of the Grade 1 Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, narrowly fending off the late run of Preakness winner National Treasure and withstanding an inquiry into a bumping incident in the stretch to earn the victory. That was just one of three Grade 1 triumphs for Cody’s Wish and four victories overall in 2023. In May, he won the Churchill Downs Stakes by 4 3/4 lengths over Hoist the Gold, a horse would come back and win two graded stakes in the fall including the Grade 2 Cigar Mile. In June, Cody’s Wish was the dominant 3 1/4-length winner of the Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap versus arguably the deepest field in any race all year. :: Full list of 2023 Eclipse Awards finalists, including profile stories The horses Cody’s Wish defeated in the Met Mile, won Grade 1 races in 2023 such as the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Whitney, Awesome Again, and Carter; and Grade 2 stakes such as the Suburban, Cigar Mile, Woodward, Santa Anita Sprint Championship, and Phoenix. Cody’s Wish, a 5-year-old son of Curlin owned and bred by Godolphin Racing and trained by Bill Mott, proved to have limitations as he could only manage a third-place finish behind White Abarrio in the Whitney going 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga. But he bounced back with a workmanlike victory in the Grade 2 Vosburgh at Aqueduct and then his gutsy win in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. “It’s the icing on the cake. You couldn’t imagine a better ending,” Mott said after the Dirt Mile. “You know, wow, he’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. We were a little skeptical about the mile and an eighth in the Whitney, but he’s done everything else. You look at his record, you can’t fault him.” Over the last two seasons, Cody’s Wish went 8 for 10 and finished his career with 11 wins from 16 starts. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. While the Cody’s Wish story had a happy ending on the track, there was a sad one away from it. Cody Dorman, just one month shy of his 18th birthday, died on the flight home to Kentucky the day after the Breeders’ Cup. The bond he had with the horse, who would put his head in his lap when he saw him, likely contributed to Cody Dorman living to almost 18. In a statement issued the day after Cody Dorman’s passing, his father, Kelly, said, “The joy that his interactions with Cody’s Wish have brought him the last five years is indescribable.” For the racing industry, they’ll be unforgettable. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.