December, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Cody’s Wish Wins 2022 Secretariat Vox Populi Award

Edited Press Release

Cody's Wish (Curlin), this year's GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner who shares an endearing bond with Cody Dorman, has been voted the winner of the 2022 Secretariat Vox Populi Award. Created by Secretariat's owner Penny Chenery, the annual award recognizes the horse whose popularity and racing excellence best resounded with the public and gained recognition for Thoroughbred racing.

Owned by Godolphin, trained by Bill Mott, and ridden throughout the year by Junior Alvarado, Cody's Wish and his special story have gained affection and admiration that transcend the sport of racing. On the track, Cody's Wish's 2022 accomplishments featured four victories in five starts, including impressive performances in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and GI Forego Stakes. In addition to his racing success, it was his continuing connection with his now 16-year-old namesake Cody Dorman, who lives with a rare genetic disorder, that captured fans' hearts and an abundance of Vox Populi votes.

In 2018, Richmond, Kentucky native Dorman was offered a tour of Godolphin's Gainsborough Farm as part of Keeneland's Make-A-Wish Day. Dorman's condition, Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome, renders him unable to speak and relegates him to a wheelchair. During Dorman's visit to the farm, an inquisitive six-month-old foal walked over to young Cody and put his head in the boy's lap. And with that, the bay colt earned his name: Cody's Wish. Nearly four years later, the special bond and sweet interactions between the two continue, including just days before this year's Breeders' Cup when the horse reconnected with his longtime pal.

“Cody's Wish and his namesake Cody Dorman forged an instant bond that would grow to connect millions of fans to their inspiring story of hope and determination,” said Kate Chenery Tweedy, daughter of Penny Chenery. “Not only did Cody's Wish win the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, as Cody predicted, but both Cody's won the hearts of people everywhere. Their uplifting story exemplifies the best ideals of the Vox Populi Award, just as Mom wished.”

Nominees for the award were submitted by the Vox Populi Committee, comprised of distinguished personalities from within and outside the racing industry. Voters also had the option to write in their own favorite candidate to recognize other exceptional horses.

The Vox Populi trophy presentation is scheduled to take place at Santa Anita Park Jan. 14. For more information about the award, visit Secretariat.com.

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High School Students Enjoy ‘Spectacular’ Riding A Dream Academy At Epsom

Ten students from Harris Academy Peckham in South London have become the first to take part in the Riding A Dream Academy's Regional Week, held at Epsom Downs Racecourse, home to the world-famous Derby.

The Regional Week is being rolled out thanks to funding from The Racing Foundation and is an extension to the Academy's existing programmes. It is designed to broaden access to horses and the racing world by taking the Academy out to communities and schools and is aimed at young people aged 14-18.

During the week (Monday, Nov. 28 – Friday, Dec. 2) the Year 10 students from Peckham South London, none of whom had any experience of racing or working with horses, had the chance to ride for the first time and look after five horses from the British Racing School. They also visited Pat Phelan's racing yard, undertook media training with ITV's Oli Bell and learned about the history of Epsom Downs and The Derby's status as the world's most prestigious flat race.

Charlotte Evans, Assistant Principal at Harris Academy Peckham said, “Our students have had a spectacular week at Epsom racecourse as part of the Riding A Dream Academy. It has been truly wonderful to see their confidence grow; see them step out of their comfort zone; and take part with them on a journey which has ultimately broadened their horizons. The beauty, majesty and therapeutic impact of horses is something so often not experienced when living in an inner city, and we are so very pleased that we have been able to expand our students' experiences through the people they met this week, the places they were able to visit and experience that will stay with them for a lifetime. We have all been made to feel very welcome and I hope this is a programme that we will continue to be able to offer our students in the future.”

Khadijah Mellah, in whose name the Academy was set up after she became the first British Muslim woman to win a UK horse race said, “It has been amazing to have Harris Academy Peckham with us for our first ever Riding A Dream Academy Regional Week. Peckham is where I grew up so I am so pleased that a school from my neighbourhood has been the first to take part in this new initiative for the Academy. It has been great to see the students bond with the horses and find out that, no matter where you come from, there is a place for everyone within racing.

“We are incredibly grateful to Epsom Downs and Jockey Club Catering who have been so generous in allowing us to use their amazing facilities throughout the week and looking after us. It has been a joy and privilege to have been able to teach young people to ride for the first time ever at the home of the world's most famous flat race.”

Jen Loomes, Inclusion & Diversity Lead at The Jockey Club, said, “It has been a pleasure to host the Riding A Dream Academy and Harris Academy at Epsom Downs this week. At The Jockey Club we are committed to doing everything we can to ensure racing is a sport where everyone feels welcome, and weeks such as this are a huge part of creating that initial love of the horse and seeing what a fantastic industry racing has to offer.”

The Riding A Dream Academy was set up after Khadijah Mellah made history by becoming the first British Muslim woman to win a UK horse race. Kindly funded by the Racing Foundation it supports young people from diverse communities and disadvantaged backgrounds to get into racing. In its pilot year (2021-22) 74% of its students came from a diverse ethnic background.

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Oaklawn Park Season Betting Preview: Trainers, Jockeys, and Track Trends

Some of the country’s top winter dirt racing is coming to the Midwest with the opening of the Oaklawn Park meet on Friday, Dec. 9. The 68-day racing season will extend until Kentucky Derby day, May 6. Racing at Oaklawn boasts big fields, good betting races for handicappers, an excellent stakes program, and very strong purses fueled by gaming revenue from the Oaklawn casino. The Hot Springs, Ark.

Del Mar Closes With Record Mutuel Handle For 2022

On the heels of a record-breaking summer meet, Del Mar's 2022 racing calendar closed strongly this weekend as the track's fall meet, the Bing Crosby Season, offered world-class turf racing, strong field size and safe racing. Total handle in 2022 was $744.68 million, a record amount wagered on Del Mar's races in a non-Breeders' Cup year.

Total handle for the four-week, 13-day fall session was $164.85 million with an average daily of $12.68 million, a 4.3% decrease from 2021, when Del Mar's fall race meet hosted the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships.

“We've been building momentum over the last few years, working hard to create a wonderful experience for racing fans and the horsemen and women who support our program,” said Del Mar Thoroughbred Club CEO Joe Harper. “While the business results are positive, we are exceptionally proud that we've been able to maintain our status as one of the safest racetracks in the country.”

Del Mar's horse recruitment initiatives, led by the track's popular Ship & Win program, continue to bolster the racing product and helped increase fall meet field size to 7.91 runners per race as compared to 7.76 in 2021. A total of 515 starters participated at Del Mar in the summer and fall of 2022 due to these horse recruitment efforts. Del Mar officials expect the majority of these runners will continue to compete in future Southern California race meets.

The track's autumn Turf Festival again drew high-class runners from across the country to participate in the nine stakes that were offered over the final two weekends of the meet.

With a closing day burst of six winners on the nine-race card, jockey Flavien Prat won his sixth Del Mar riding title by booting home 24 firsts in 86 mounts, an exceptional 36% win rate. Trainer Phil D'Amato captured 19 races during the 13-day session and took home his fourth Del Mar title.

“Once again, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club showcased world-class racing with an exemplary safety record,” said Thoroughbred Owners of California Chairman Gary Fenton. “They also contributed to our ecosystem by investing in industry beneficiary funds like 'Ship & Win.' It is great to partner with a track operator that consistently goes above and beyond what is required. Del Mar continues to show horsemen they want to be a big part of our future.”

Racing will return to Del Mar next July for the track's 84th summer season.

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