By Joe Quillen
The story of Cody’s Wish
Hollywood is about 25 miles away from the home of this year’s Breeders’ Cup event at Santa Anita Park. The ending for one of the greatest feel good stories in the horse racing industry had its suspenseful ending worth an Academy Award.
The story of Cody’s Wish is a heartwarming story that no one could root against, even if you did not bet on the defending Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile champion today. The final chapter of this amazing horse held everyone in suspense not once but twice as the suspense of a stretch long duel mirrored National Treasure’s Preakness win in May was matched by an inquiry for the bumping the two horses had down the lane.
Cody’s Wish picked off horses one by one over the final half mile of the race while the reigning Preakness winner tried to go gate to wire for Bob Baffert. They met eye to eye in the final eighth of a mile to the finish with the defending Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile Champion winning by a nose.
But, we had to go through the inquiry. This was like USA vs. Russia in the 1980 Olympics, Rocky vs. Ivan Drago in Rocky IV, or any good vs. evil battle created by Hollywood. Cody’s Wish was the one we wanted to win. National Treasure, except for those that put their money on the Baffert horse, would run the final chapter of a heartwarming story.
Why is this such a heartwarming story? This was about a boy, Cody Dorman, suffering from a rare genetic disorder, became connected to a prospective yearling on a Make A Wish trip to a Kentucky horse farm. The horse which would be named Cody’s Wish came over to Cody’s wheelchair and laid his head on the boy’s lap, creating a bond which lead to today’s Hollywood ending, or so we thought!
Bob Baffert has become the most controversial personality in horse racing. The race was at his dojo, Santa Anita Park race track. Baffert had five horses test positive for drug overages, most on big race days around the country. Of course, it was Baffert’s horse that would make the wait even more suspenseful.
In the end as we saw the steward’s video, you could see that National Treasure did come out first on Cody’s Wish in the stretch, and the two champions traded blows like two championship boxers though the last may have led some to worry. But like Bob Baffert mentioned afterwards, he didn’t have a problem with the decision from the stewards.
After that seven minute wait, the Hollywood story was complete. A boy and his horse won his final race, possibly clinching Horse of the Year honors. Even those that bet on National Treasure had to be welling up inside that the Hollywood ending was complete.
Those that wagered on Cody’s Wish won $3.60 for every $2 wagered. The owners of Cody’s Wish, Godolphin, won $520,000 for the winner’s share of the $890,000 purse, and the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile Trophy. Who knows, maybe one day, if there’s a Cody’s Wish movie made 25 miles east of the Great Race Place, a few Academy Awards will be handed out, including most heartwarming story in a long time in the sport of horse racing.
Here’s a tissue, it’s okay to dry your eyes. Cody’s horse won!
