By now, racing fans have grown familiar with the heartwarming story of Godolphin's homebred Grade 1 winner Cody's Wish. But the winner of Saturday's opener at Saratoga, Carson's Run, has a similar backstory.
Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and Steven Bouchey, Carson's Run, a 2-year-old son of Cupid, was triumphant in his career debut going 1 1/16 miles over the Spa inner turf. The chestnut colt is named in honor of Carson Yost who, like Cody's Wish's namesake Cody Dorman, was born with the rare genetic disorder Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. Carson is the son of Wade Yost, a former classmate of West Point Thoroughbreds' founder Terry Finley at the United States Military Academy.
Yost was previously a West Point partner on stakes-placed Cali Dude after winning a charity contest in 2019. He got back involved with West Point with Carson's Run after Finley agreed to name a horse in honor of his son.
“I think it really gave their family some hope,” Finley said. “When you see things like that and the inspiration there, it can only help. This business really changes a lot of lives and I know [Saturday], that family's changed in a very nice way. We've been trying to get him a horse for a couple of years and it just didn't come together. Finally, I bought this horse and called Wade and he said, 'I'm in.'”
Trained by Christophe Clement, Carson's Run was five lengths off the pace down the backstretch and went 5-to-6 wide in upper stretch after being asked by jockey Dylan Davis. He took command inside the eighth pole to win by a neck.
“I thought he handled himself really well as all the Clement horses do,” Finley said. “You have to pay attention and it doesn't take long to be around the Clements — the father, the son [Miguel], and the whole team — to realize that they pay a lot of attention to detail and little things. That makes a difference, especially on the turf because there's not a whole lot between first and fourth.”
Finley said Carson's Run could target the $175,000 With Anticipation (G3) on August 31 going 1 1/16 miles on the grass at Saratoga.
Bred in Kentucky by Frankfort Park Farm, Carson's Run is the first progeny out of the Henny Hughes mare Hot N Hectic. He was purchased for $170,000 at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, where Randy Miles consigned him.
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