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Second Chances: Cody’s Wish

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar.

A day before capturing the final leg of the Triple Crown with 'TDN Rising Star' Essential Quality (Tapit), Godolphin unveiled another sophomore to keep an eye on during the GI Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

Sent off as the 3-1 second favorite on debut, Cody's Wish (c, 3, Curlin-Dance Card, by Tapit) raced in a close fourth through an opening quarter in :22.68 over the harrowed, muddy going. Caught in some traffic on the far turn and shuffled back to sixth three furlongs from home, Junior Alvarado steered the bay out into the clear at the top of the stretch. He leveled off nicely from there to report home a strong third, beaten 3 3/4 lengths, behind new 'TDN Rising Star' Mahaamel (Into Mischief). Cody's Wish, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, came home in a field-best final furlong of :12.41 and earned a very strong 92 Beyer Speed Figure. The final time for seven furlongs was 1:22.46.

The Godolphin homebred is out of Dance Card, heroine of the 2012 GI Gazelle S. and third-place finisher behind two-time champion Groupie Doll (Bowman's Band) in the following year's GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint in her career finale. The $750,000 Fasig-Tipton Florida 2-year-old has also produced the GSP Endorsed (Medaglia d'Oro) and the SP Bocephus (Medaglia d'Oro). She had a colt by Into Mischief this year.

The Curlin over Tapit cross is also responsible for Tenfold, the 2018 GII Jim Dandy S. winner and GI Preakness S. third-place finisher.

“He had been showing promise in the mornings,” Godolphin USA President Jimmy Bell said. “It was a gallant first effort-he found some trouble and learned quite a bit. He showed good determination in persevering to finish a closing third. We are looking forward to running him back at Saratoga at either seven-eighths or 1 1/8 miles.”

Bell added that Cody's Wish was named in honor of Godolphin's Make-A-Wish guest in the fall of 2019 at Keeneland.

Previous standouts featured in 'Second Chances' include: GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A. P. (Honor Code), GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner and Royal Ascot G2 Norfolk S. runner-up Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Paradise Woods (Union Rags), GII Los Alamitos Futurity winner and MGISP Spielberg (Union Rags), GSW Backyard Heaven (Tizway), and MSW and 'TDN Rising Star' Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

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Longshot Exacta In Jaipur Highlight Of Successful Belmont Day For Hall Of Famer Mott

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott saddled a pair of longshot chances in Saturday's Grade 1, $400,000 Jackpocket Jaipur and ended up completing a personal exacta when Casa Creed [10-1] posted a two-length score over stablemate Chewing Gum [28-1] in the six-furlong inner turf sprint for 3-year-olds and up on Belmont Stakes day at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Owned by LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable, the 5-year-old son of Jimmy Creed registered a career-best 105 Beyer for his first win since capturing the one-mile Grade 2 Hall of Fame in August 2019 at Saratoga.

While Saturday's victory came with a “Win and You're In” berth to the five-furlong Grade 1, $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in November at Del Mar, Mott said the distance is likely too short for Casa Creed, who may have found a new niche after winning the seven-furlong Elusive Quality in April on the Belmont green after a long string of races at one mile or greater.

“We'd been looking for some races that would be appropriate, he's not necessarily the greatest miler, I suppose,” said Mott. “We've known he doesn't want to get over a mile.

“He ran the seven-eighths here and ran good,” added Mott regarding the Elusive Quality score. “We'd meant to try him in shorter races in the past but it didn't work out for one reason or another, but it worked out yesterday.”

Mott said he was pleased with the condition of the turf for the Jaipur, which was rated as 'good' despite a deluge of rain on Friday that led to a yielding turf on Day Two of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in which the Mott-trained Harvey's Lil Goil finished an even fifth in the 10-furlong Grade 2, $750,000 New York.

Over a drying-out course in the Jaipur, Bound for Nowhere rattled off swift splits of 22.06 and 44.65 to the half-mile, setting up Casa Creed for a sharp closing kick, stopping the click in 1:08.04.

“Given the New York handicap the day before, I thought they might go three-quarters in 11 or 12,” said Mott. “The course held up really well. They weren't kicking up anything. I'll give the NYRA turf man a pat on the back for that. It was in good shape and handled the water well.”

Mott said he has no immediate target for Casa Creed.

“Maybe we'll have a chance to shorten him up to 5 ½,” he offered.

Junior Alvarado, who engineered the winning Jaipur trip, was at the Mott barn Sunday morning and expressed his joy at seeing Casa Creed break through at the top flight.

“He's been right there knocking on the door for a Grade 1 and finally he got it,” said Alvarado.

The veteran rider said it was good to hear the roar of the crowd on Saturday with 11,238 fans in attendance.

“It makes it more exciting,” said Alvarado. “We're competitive athletes and to have the fans there screaming and yelling, it definitely gets you more excited. We needed that yesterday.”

Wachtel Stable, Pantofel Stable and Jerold Zaro's Chewing Gum rallied from last-of-9 to complete the exacta. The 6-year-old multiple graded-stakes placed son of Candy Ride earned a personal-best 99 Beyer.

“He ran a super race, take nothing away from him,” said Mott. “For me, he's the same [as Casa Creed]; a mile stretches him a little bit and five and a half [furlongs] is a little bit sharp – he's coming, it's amazing what they can do in that last sixteenth.”

The Mott-trained exacta returned $335.50 for a $2 wager.

Mott said the Estate of Harvey A. Clarke and Paul Braverman's multiple graded-stakes winner Harvey's Lil Goil, winner of the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup in October at Keeneland, didn't handle the yielding turf on Friday.

Michael Shanley's Nova Rags, runner-up in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Peter Pan in May at Belmont, turned back to seven-furlongs and finished third behind winner Drain the Clock and runner-up Jackie's Warrior in Saturday's Grade 1 Woody Stephens.

“Grade 1 placed and got a check,” said Mott, with a grin. “He wasn't good enough yesterday, but we took our shot. We knew they'd go fast and hoped they would back up more than they did, but they didn't. They kept going, two good horses.”

Juddmonte Farms homebred Obligatory, a sophomore daughter of Curlin, closed five-wide down the lane to finish second, by a half-length, to Search Results in Saturday's Grade 1 Acorn.

Dayoutoftheoffice posted moderate splits of 23.50, 47.23 and 1:11 in the one-turn mile before giving way to the Kentucky Oaks-runner-up, who got the jump on Obligatory.

“She ran well; no pace,” said Mott. “It was a pace-less race. Didn't suit her, but she still ran good. Take nothing away from the winner.”

Mott indicated Obligatory, winner of the Grade 2 Eight Belles in April at Churchill Downs, would target the seven-furlong Grade 1 Longines Test for sophomore fillies on August 7 at Saratoga.

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Bill Mott Goes 1-2 In Grade 1 Jaipur With Casa Creed, Chewing Gum

Trainer Bill Mott came away from the Grade 1 Jaipur smiling as his runners Casa Creed and Chewing Gum closed from far back to run 1-2 in the Breeders' Cup Win and You're In for the Turf Sprint. Both Mott trainees lingered at the back of the pack in the early going of the six-furlong contest on Belmont Park's inner turf course. Junior Alvarado guided Casa Creed ahead of his stablemate and began a casual move at the end of the backstretch, creeping up past rivals on the turn.

Bound For Nowhere, Gregorian Chant, and Fast Boat guided the field for the early going, with Bound For Nowhere looking like he was going to hang on for the wire. At the eighth mile pole, Alvarado and Casa Creed still had a lot of work to do but put on a burst of late speed to catch early leader Bound for Nowhere. Casa Creed came flying in the center of the course for a decisive margin at the wire. Chewing Gum was second, Bound for Nowhere third and Stubbins fourth.

The final time for the six furlongs was 1:08.04.

Casa Creed is now undefeated from two career starts under one mile for owners LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable. His previous credits include a win in the Elusive Quality last out and a victory in the G2 Hall of Fame stakes in 2019.

Casa Creed is a 5-year-old son of Jimmy Creed and Bellamy Road mare Achalaya. He was bred in Kentucky by Silver Springs Stud. Casa Creed was a $15,000 yearling purchase at the OBS Winter Mixed Sale, where he was consigned by Janie Roper and purchased by Amalio Ruiz-Lozano. He was then sold to LRE at Keeneland September for $105,000, where he was consigned by Kelli Mitchell.

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Jimmy Creed’s Casa Creed Flies Late to Take Jaipur

There appeared on paper to be a lack of pace in Saturday's GI Jackpocket Jaipur S., but that could only mean one thing–the two back markers, Bill Mott pupils Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) and Chewing Gum (Candy Ride {Arg}), flew home from out of the clouds to cap a near $168 exacta for a buck. With the victory, Casa Creed also earned an automatic berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint this fall. Even-money favorite Bound for Nowhere (The Factor) could only manage third after being pestered on the lead.

Off last and scrubbed on to keep pace, Casa Creed passed Chewing Gum early on as he traveled in the two path behind splits of :22.06 and :44.65. Still with lots to do at the head of the lane as Bound for Nowhere seemed to still have horse, Casa Creed began to inhale foes down the center of the track. He seemed to take announcer John Imbriale by surprise as he blew past the leader near the sixteenth pole, and Chewing Gum mirrored that one's move to make it all about Mott.

“[Casa Creed] ran great,” said Mott, who had won the Jaipur three times previously. “It looks like sprints suit him, for sure.”

Casa Creed had been competing primarily in turf miles, and took the seven-furlong Elusive Quality S.–named for one of Mott's prior Jaipur winners–here Apr. 24.

“I missed the break a little,” winning pilot Junior Alvarado admitted. “I got worried right away because when sprinting the last thing you want to do is break slow. The first sixteenth of a mile, I was last and he was going so fast. I was thinking that they had to be going pretty quick up front. He started picking it up little by little and still going so fast. As soon as I turned for home and put him in the clear, I asked him a bit and then he pulled the reins out of my hands. It was a beautiful run from the three-sixteenths to the wire.”

Alvarado continued, “He's versatile. He's been unlucky with races, but he's always been hard knocking. He gets beat, but gets beat trying against really nice horses. We started figuring it out these past couple of races. He showed today that he's a serious sprinter.”

Casa Creed's prior career highlight came when he took the GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. in 2019. He went winless last year with a third in the GI Fourstardave H. and 12th in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. Second in Gulfstream's GIII Tropical Turf S. again over eight panels Jan. 9, the bay was a close sixth in the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. at Santa Anita Mar. 6 before ending his winless drought in the Elusive Quality.

Casa Creed is owned by Lee Einsidler's LRE Racing and Mike Francesa's JEH Racing.

Saturday, Belmont
JACKPOCKET JAIPUR S.-GI, $400,000, Belmont, 6-5, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:08.04, gd.
1–CASA CREED, 120, h, 5, by Jimmy Creed
                1st Dam: Achalaya, by Bellamy Road
                2nd Dam: Wild Heart Dancing, by Farma Way
                3rd Dam: Star of Wicklow, by Fast Play
   1ST GRADE I WIN. ($15,000 Ylg '17 OBSWIN; $105,000 Ylg '17
KEESEP). O-LRE Racing LLC and JEH Racing Stable LLC; B-Silver
Springs Stud, LLC (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Junior Alvarado.
$220,000. Lifetime Record: 20-5-3-3, $755,408. *1/2 to
Chess's Dream (Jess's Dream), GSW, $166,680. Werk Nick
   Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Chewing Gum, 120, h, 6, Candy Ride (Arg)–Shared Heart, by
Forestry. O-Wachtel Stable, Pantofel Stable and Zaro, Jerold L.;
B-Wertheimer Et Frere (KY); T-William I. Mott. $80,000.
3–Bound for Nowhere, 124, h, 7, The Factor–Fancy Deed, by
Alydeed. ($310,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O/T-Wesley A. Ward;
B-Wayne, Gray & Bryan Lyster (KY). $48,000.
Margins: 2, 3/4, HD. Odds: 10.80, 28.00, 1.00.
Also Ran: Stubbins, Got Stormy, Fast Boat, Gregorian Chant (GB), Greyes Creek, Sombeyay. Scratched: Completed Pass, Oleksandra (Aus), Secret Rules. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:

Casa Creed is one of four graded winners, and the first Grade I winner, for well-regarded value sire Jimmy Creed. One of those four is Kanthaka, who missed by a neck in this even last season. Casa Creed is one of only two graded winners out of a Bellamy Road mare–the other is Casa Creed's half-brother Chess's Dream (Jess's Dream), winner of January's GIII Kitten's Joy S.

Florida-based breeder Loren Nichols bought dam Achalaya for $15,000 while she was carrying Chess's Dream at the 2018 OBS Winter Mixed Sale. He bought her back for $195,000 at KEENOV '19 while she was carrying a Distorted Humor colt. Achalaya, a daughter of MGSW turfer Wild Heart Dancing from the family of GISW Man from Wicklow (Turkoman), most recently visited Omaha Beach.

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