Tag: cody dorman

The Next Cody’s Wish? An Emotional Win at Saratoga for Carson’s Run

The tale of Cody's Wish (Curlin) and his association with Cody Dorman continues to be a powerful, feel-good story for the sport of racing. Cody's Wish was named for Dorman, a young man who suffers from Wolf-Hirschorn Syndrome, and the horse's six-race winning streak has brought joy to Dorman and his family.

Wade Jost knows just how the Dormans feel.

The first race at Saratoga Saturday was won by Carson's Run (Cupid), who is owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and Steven Bouchey. The 2-year-old colt was named after Carson Jost, 30, who also suffers from Wolf-Hirschorn Syndrome, a chromosomal deletion syndrome resulting from a partial deletion on the short arm of chromosome 4. Features include a distinct craniofacial features, delayed growth and development, intellectual disability, and seizures.
Jost's father, Wade, is a co-owner of the horse through West Point and was classmate of Finley at the U.S. Military Academy.

“I get emotional talking about this,” Jost said. “We were overwhelmed. We weren't expecting that. That the horse performed the way he did was phenomenal.”

West Point Thoroughbreds' Terry Finley and jockey Dylan Davis | Sarah K. Andrew

Finley and Jost had stayed close since their West Point days and the two had conversations at the annual Army-Navy game about the possibility of West Point naming a horse after Carson. Finley told Jost he would find a horse for him and did just that at this year's OBS April sale, where he purchased Carson's Run for $170,000.

“I've talked to him for the last couple of years and he said `I really want to get a horse for our boy Carson,' and over the years, he's had a lot of challenges and has really been an inspiration to all of us,” Finley said. “And when we bought this horse, it all just came together. I said, `I think I need to call Wade,' and I did and he said, `I'm in. Whatever you need me to do.'”

Carson is Wade's oldest child and has three siblings. None of the other children in the family suffer from Wolf-Hirschorn Syndrome. According to a story posted on West Point's website, Jost served in the Gulf War, and was conceived and born shortly after Wade returned home. According to the West Point report, it was later determined that members of Wade's unit in the Army had a high rate of abnormal births with their kids born after they returned from the war. The fathers and children were put into a study group to try to determine the cause. Ultimately the results were inconclusive, but the Gulf War has been a proven link to many multi-symptomatic disorders in hundreds of thousands of U.S. veterans who served.

The Jost family gathered in front of a television set Saturday in their home in Washington State. Making his first career start, Carson's Run was sent off at 5-1 and was ridden by Dylan Davis. Trained by Christophe Clement, the two-year-old was sixth early on in the mile-and-a-sixteenth turf race and took control inside the final furlong to win by a neck.

“No. Carson has the mental capacity of about a one-year-old,” Wade Jost said when asked if Carson understood that a horse named for him was running. “We put him right in front of the TV and when the race took off he really got animated. It was kind of cool. He doesn't usually get all that animated, so it was neat to watch him do that.”

“We run a lot of horses but this was extra special,” Finley said. “Wade and I have been friends for a long time. It was very, very cool.”

While Cody Dorman has seen several of Cody's Wish's race in person, Carson Jost has yet to meet his namesake. Wade Jost said he hopes that will soon change.

“We would love to come for one of his races,” Jost said. “We found out just last week he was going to race today and we need more lead time than that. It is our plan to try to make it out.”

Jost said he first became aware of the Cody Dorman story while watching this year's GI Kentucky Derby broadcast on NBC. Cody's Wish ran on the Derby undercard, winning the GI Churchill Downs S.

“When we decided to do this early in the spring with Carson I hadn't known anything about Cody's Wish,” Jost said. “I sat down to watch the Kentucky Derby and saw the story about Cody come on. As soon as I saw Cody I knew before they even said anything about Wolf-Hirschorn Syndrome that Carson and Cody had the same thing. The similarities and facial features is just overwhelming.”

Both Jost and Finley said they didn't want their story to compete with the story of Cody's Wish or do anything to deflect from the attention the horse and the Dorman family has received. There was no need to worry. Within minutes of the finish of the race, Finley received a text from Kelly Dorman, Cody's father, congratulating him on the victory.

Winner's circle celebrations following Carson's Run's maiden win at Saratoga on Saturday | Sarah K. Andrew

“I didn't want anybody to think we were trying to copy Cody's Wish and their story,” Finley said. “I got a beautiful text from Cody's father Kelly after the race. He had introduced himself to me at the Belmont. He said that he saw me saw me at the Breeders' Cup (where Flightline (Tapit), co-owned by West Point, won the GI Breeders' Cup Classic) and noted how emotional I was. It was very moving for me. I I told him how much I admired how they had handled the story of Cody and how it was very inspiring.”

“We will be reaching out to the Dorman family,” Jost said. “I didn't want to take away from the great story that is Cody's Wish. So I was happy that they reached out. We will get together. I look forward to that.”

Finley said that Carson's Run's next start would likely come in the GIII With Anticipation S. on Aug. 31 at Saratoga.

Maybe the Jost family can make it for that race. Win or lose, the presence of Cody's Run will make the With Anticipation a race worth following. It looks like Carson's Run is a good horse who will have a good chance of picking up a graded stakes win. A good horse and a great story.

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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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Cody Dorman Wins Big Sport of Turfdom Award

Cody Dorman, whose namesake Cody's Wish captured the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile earlier this month, will be presented with the Turf Publicists of America's 2022 Big Sport of Turfdom award.

Dorman was born with the rare genetic disorder Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome and is unable to walk or communicate without utilizing a tablet. The now 16-year-old first met an unnamed foal by champion Curlin when Godolphin hosted Cody and his family during Keeneland's Make-A-Wish Day in 2018. From their first meeting, the colt always showed an uncanny interest in Cody and those visits gave Cody the strength to continue through some incredibly tough times. And Cody's Wish has never lost a race with Cody in attendance.

“Cody has brought to the forefront what it means to be strong and brave in his personal life as well as highlighting the extraordinary interaction that occurs between horses and humans,” said Wendy Davis, TPA president. “He gives inspiration to us all.”

The Big Sport of Turfdom award will be presented at the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program's annual awards luncheon Dec. 6. The luncheon is part of the 2022 Global Symposium on Racing at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona.

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Stars Align for Cody’s Wish and Namesake Cody Dorman

Cody's Wish (Curlin), winner of the GIII Westchester S. in his most recent start, is the morning-line favorite in a field of seven in Monday's Hanshin S. at Churchill Downs. The 4-year-old Bill Mott trainee is a homebred for Godolphin out of 2012 GI Gazelle S. victress Dance Card (Tapit), also the dam of MGSP Endorsed (Medaglia d'Oro).

None of those details really matter much to Cody Dorman, a 16-year-old from Richmond, Kentucky who shares a special bond with the improving son of Curlin. Cody, an avid racing fan ever since Cody's Wish came onto the scene, has been eagerly awaiting the day that his namesake would return to Kentucky so that he can see him in the starting gate once again.

Cody was born with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that affects many parts of the body. According to his father Kelly Dorman, Cody experiences frequent seizures and although he is nonverbal, he is able to communicate through a tablet. His father estimates that he has gone through between 40 and 50 surgeries, ranging from relatively minor procedures to open heart surgery.

“He's a fighter, that's for sure,” Kelly Dorman said. “But he's just like any other country boy. He loves being outside and he has always been interested in animals. He really loves fishing.”

When given a wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Cody chose to visit the Bass Pro Shop headquarters in Springfield, Missouri.

It was through the same foundation that Cody first encountered Cody's Wish, who was then just a foal at Gainsborough, when Godolphin hosted Cody and his family at their farm during Keeneland's Make-A-Wish Day in the fall of 2018.

Cody and Cody's Wish meet for the first time | photo courtesy Kelly Dorman

Danny Mulvihill, the farm manager at Gainsborough, recalls the day vividly.

“We knew Cody was in a wheelchair, but we were hopeful that we could get a foal to at least come close to Cody,” he said. “We picked this Curlin colt because at the time he was very laid back. When we pulled the foal out, he just kept inching closer and closer until he had his head in Cody's lap. You could just see Cody's eyes light up.”

“It was one of those magical moments,” Dorman explained. “I looked at Danny and told him that if this horse has half the heart that Cody has, he was going to do some great things.”

Not long after his visit to Gainsborough, Cody went through a serious complication when a blood vessel burst in his stomach. He spent Thanksgiving in the hospital and nearly went into shock, but was able to make it home in time for Christmas. When he visited Santa Claus, Cody asked for money for Christmas so that he could give it to Make-A-Wish. Through several fundraisers, he was able to raise enough money for another child to receive a wish.

The team at Godolphin had kept in touch with the Dorman family since their visit and when it came time to name the bay Curlin colt that Cody had once met, Mary Bourne, the office manager at Gainsborough, came up with Cody's Wish.

Around the time that Cody's Wish turned two, Cody lost his grandfather. Soon after, the pandemic forced the Dorman family to lock down harder and for longer than most.

“Even with everything he's been through, I would never have said that Cody was battling depression until that fall,” Dorman said. “I told my wife that we needed to do something to combat this, so we called Mary and asked about the horse. They hadn't seen each other since the first time they met.”

They arranged a meeting to see Cody's Wish, but were warned that the colt had developed into a high-strung juvenile and that they probably wouldn't be able to get too close.

Cody visits a 2-year-old Cody's Wish | Hallie Hardy

“They brought that horse out of the barn and he took my breath away,” Dorman recalled. “He turned his head and set his eyes on Cody and never took his eyes off him the whole time. He went up to Cody and let him rub his nose. Cody has a few sounds that he makes when he's happy, but I can count on one hand the times I've heard a deep belly laugh from him. As soon as that horse locked onto him, he started doing it. It was like a switch flipped. He was still a little down, but this was the spark he needed to get going.”

Cody's Wish made his debut at Belmont Park in June last year, but had a troubled trip and settled for third. Back in Kentucky, Cody insisted that he needed to be present for the race in order for the horse to make it to the winner's circle. Sure enough, Cody's Wish ran third twice more at Saratoga last summer, but broke his maiden in the fall at Churchill Downs with his namesake looking on.

“It's one of those stories that at every corner, it just seems like it was meant to be,” Mulvihill explained. “It's very hard to question that there is not some form of higher communication there, because Cody has gotten it right every time with where he says that horse will finish. For that first win at Churchill, we couldn't bring Cody into the paddock  but as they walked past, Cody's Wish stopped and locked eyes with Cody.”

As Cody's Wish claimed two allowance races at Churchill Downs that fall, Cody's bedroom began accumulating win photos, saddle towels and racing memorabilia. When it was nearly time for Cody's Wish to head south for the winter, the Dormans planned one last surprise visit to the backside at Churchill Downs as an early birthday present for Cody.

“He went to his therapy session two days before we were going to go, but he wouldn't do anything,” Dorman said. “He was throwing a fit. We got his tablet out and he asked what we were trying to hide from him. He said he didn't like surprises and needed to know if it had to do with his horse. So we finally told him because he wasn't going to do anything until he found out what was going on.”

The team at Bill Mott's barn staged a party on the backside where birthday cake was distributed to all, including to Cody's Wish.

Dorman said that Cody has predicted the outcomes of both of the 4-year-old's races this year. After a sleepless night before the GIII Challenger S. at Tampa Bay, Cody said the colt would run second. Cody's Wish lost by a neck. Cody again foretold the win in the GIII Westchester S.

Godolphin's Director of Bloodstock Michael Banahan said that after the Westchester, the original plan was to send Cody's Wish to the GI Metropolitan H. but a bout of fever two weeks before the race pushed back the timing of his next start. Now, their team is feeling confident going into Monday's Hanshin S.

“He's been training well and we're really happy with him,” Banahan said. “He got in a nice work last Monday in Saratoga. He's undefeated at Churchill going a one-turn mile, so he likes the track there and we're anticipating that he'll be ready to go.”

Cody is also predicting a positive outcome on Monday, when he will once again be in attendance to see Cody's Wish for the first time this year.

“I've always said that those two speak some kind of language that I can't hear or don't understand,” Dorman said. “I just enjoy watching it. Godolphin has been awesome. There aren't words to express our gratitude with the way they've treated us and Churchill Downs has done the same thing.”

Banahan explained that he believes the stars have continued to align as this story plays out.

“When Cody first came out to the farm, Danny could have introduced him to any horse and it happened to be this one,” he said. “For him to turn out to be a good racehorse was special and who knows if there was some divine intervention where we ended up being disappointed in those first three races in New York, but when he went to Churchill the family got to be there when it happened. We're just grateful that we have been able to play a small role in Cody's life and for him to get some joy out of seeing this horse run.”

Mary Bourne, who picked out the name for the colt in the beginning and now attends the races with the Dorman family, said she can hardly control her nerves whenever Cody's Wish steps into the starting gate.

“He has pulled through every time, bless his heart,” she said. “It's so special for Cody's parents to see these moments because they relish them. They don't get that every day. That first race, everyone was in tears–myself, Danny, the assistant trainer–because you see what it means to them when you're there. Nobody gets cheered for more than Cody's Wish when he's coming down the straightaway. We hope this fairytale just keeps going.”

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