The horse with 'a story made for Hollywood'

IF you didn’t shed a tear for Cody’s Wish last year, where were you?

The miracle horse provided a tear jerking success at the Breeders’ Cup and he rolls onto Churchill Downs this week.

On the surface, a high-class horse winning a Grade 1 is no miracle, but his story will surely be made into a movie down the line.

Sixteen-year-old Cody Dorman was born with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that means he has to communicate using a tablet.

Cody, while on a Make-A-Wish trip to Godolphin’s Gainsborough Farm, bumped into an unnamed foal with whom he immediately built a connection with.

The Cody’s Wish story began that day and even the best script writer would struggle to pen what’s happened thus far.

Rising through the grades in 2021 and 2022, he took his first Group race at Belmont in May 2022 and quickly followed up in Listed company at Churchill Downs.

Grade 1 glory came in the Forgo at Saratoga in August, before the roof came off Keeneland when he got up in the final stride to win the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

There was not a dry eye in the house and his trainer Bill Mott said “luck was following this” horse after his Breeders’ Cup success.

NBC’s commentators summed it up best after the race, saying: “A story made for Hollywood - it was written right here in Lexington, Kentucky.”

Punters were equally emotional with one saying: “How could anyone not want him to win?”

Another said: “This is one of the most moving racing related stories I’ve ever seen.”

We get to see Cody’s Wish on this Saturday’s Kentucky Derby undercard, as he’s a warm favorite for the Churchill Downs Stakes.

The five-year-old is the only Grade 1 winner in the field and sets a daunting standard for his rivals to aim at.

Dropping back to seven furlongs will not inconvenience him and Mott’s horses are in excellent form.

There is some sort of magic following this horse and anyone backing against him on Saturday would surely not begrudge him downing their selection.