Last November, I wrote about Cody’s Wish – A Real Life Fairy-tale. A few days ago, Cody’s Wish delivered a final, fighting win in the Breeder’s Cup Dirt Mile for Cody Dorman.
As Horse Illustrated put it, “The story seemed to reach a climax on Saturday, however, when Cody’s Wish came from the back of the pack, digging in throughout the stretch run to make up ground on 2023 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner National Treasure. Coming to the wire, Cody’s Wish was all heart, putting a nose in front on the line to win a photo finish in the $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1).”
Cody Dorman was born with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome (WHS), a rare genetic disorder that affects many parts of the body, resulting in delayed growth and development, intellectual disability, low muscle tone and seizures. When he was born, doctors told the Dorman family that Cody would only live for two years.
In 2018, Cody made a wish to meet a racehorse, and with the help of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Cody and his parents Kelly and Leslie, with sister Kylie, went to Godolphin’s Gainsborough Farm in Kentucky. Stud Farm Manager Danny Mulvihill arranged an introduction with a ‘mild mannered six-month-old weanling’.
“What happened from there was special, the foal just came up and laid his head down on Cody’s lap and just spent some quiet time there with Cody.”
“We had 40-odd foals on the farm and we could have chosen any one of them for Cody to meet,” says Danny. “What happened from there was special. The foal came up to Cody and put his head in his lap.”
“The horse kept pulling until he was right in front of Cody,” says Danny. “It was like the horse knew who was there to see him.”
“I can count on one hand the number of times Cody has belly laughed and he did it that day,” says Leslie. “From that day on, Cody completely changed.”
In 2021, Godolphin named the colt after Cody. It became Cody’s Wish.
Cody’s Wish went on to stellar performances on the racetrack, never finishing off the board in 15 starts—10 of them wins—going into this year’s Breeders’ Cup. He was undefeated at a mile coming into the race, including a win in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland Race Course in Kentucky.
The story seemed to reach a climax on Saturday, however, when Cody’s Wish came from the back of the pack, digging in throughout the stretch run to make up ground on 2023 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner National Treasure. Coming to the wire, Cody’s Wish was all heart, putting a nose in front on the line to win a photo finish in the $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1).
This was always slated to be the career finale for Cody’s Wish, who retires with more than $3 million earnings to Jonabell Farm in Kentucky for a 2024 stud fee of $75,000.
On Monday, however, the racing world was in mourning when Godolphin released a statement via Kelly and Leslie Dorman, published in Thoroughbred Daily News:
“We are heartbroken to share the news that our beloved Cody suffered a medical event on our trip home to Kentucky yesterday and he has passed away. On Saturday, Cody watched his best friend, Cody’s Wish, display his usual perseverance and toughness in winning a second Breeders’ Cup. Those are the same characteristics Cody has showed time and again for the 18 years we were blessed to have him. We have been completely amazed to experience the impact Cody has had on so many people, through the journey that this wondrous racehorse has taken us all on.
Thank you Godolphin and Cody’s Wish for changing the life of this boy, and for giving us all belief too.
Related Links:
Cody’s Wish – A Real Life Fairy-tale
Cody Dorman passes away after namesake’s fairytale win in Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile
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