Cody's Wish inspires on way to victory in Churchill Downs Stakes before Kentucky Derby

Ryan Black, Louisville Courier Journal
·4 min read

Cody's Wish continued to prove why he's considered one of the best horses in the world Saturday during the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Making his 5-year-old debut, Cody's Wish powered to the lead in the closing stretch to win by 4 3/4 lengths over Hoist the Gold. It marked his fifth straight victory — coming nearly a year to the day since he captured the Westchester Stakes at Belmont Park to start his winning streak. And Cody's Wish won despite not racing since the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland last November.

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"You have that on your mind.(Trainer Bill Mott) is one of the greatest trainers, to have a horse 100% ready after a long layoff," said Cody's Wish jockey, Junior Alvarado. "But you still have that on you thinking like, 'Is he ready? Can I be sure?'"

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An overwhelming 3-5 favorite, Cody's Wish's victory paid just $3.44 to win.

He let the race come to him Saturday.

"I can change his style," Alvarado said. "I just have to be confident and just ride him the way he wants to be ridden. I've got to make sure I show that to him. I didn't want to get him off his feet the first part of the race. I just did what I had to do: get him comfortable there."

The rest of the nine-horse field — Tejano Twist took third while Here Mi Song was fourth — had no answers.

"He just smoked them," Mott said.

Cody's Wish continued success has extra meaning, Alvarado said, because of his namesake: Cody Dorman, a Richmond native who was born with Wolf–Hirschhorn syndrome. The NBC broadcast ran a feature on the two's relationship before the race.

"It has me very humble, makes me keep my feet on the ground 24/7 and be very appreciative for everything that we have," Alvarado said. "I always say, 'We have everything we need.' We probably want more stuff, but we have what we need."

Connections of Cody’s Wish pose for photos after the horse won The Churchill Downs Stakes on Saturday, May 6, 2023.
Connections of Cody’s Wish pose for photos after the horse won The Churchill Downs Stakes on Saturday, May 6, 2023.

What's next for Cody's Wish is still to be determined. Mott said the horse might run in the Metropolitan Handicap — more commonly known as the "Met Mile" — next month at Belmont Park.

And Cody's Wish just might be getting started: Alvarado said the horse "showed another gear" Saturday he hadn't noticed before.

"It's definitely scary," Alvarado responded when asked how much better Cody's Wish could become.

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This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Cody's Wish inspires on way to victory in Churchill Downs Stakes

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