Tag: Racing

It's a story that just keeps getting better.

Cody's Wish has added another poignant chapter to his fairy tale career with a facile 3 1/4-length victory in Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Metropolitan Handicap. The margin of victory is even more impressive considering the 5-year-old son of Curlin broke flat-footed, went five wide around the far turn, and was toting the field-high weight of 126 pounds (four higher than his next closest rival).

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and ridden to victory by Junior Alvarado, Godolphin homebred Cody's Wish has now won six straight races, including four consecutive Grade 1 victories across four different racetracks. Sent to post as the 3-5 favorite of the field of nine, Cody's Wish ran a mile over Belmont's fast main track in 1:34.36.

The well-documented Cody's Wish is named for young Cody Dorman, a teenager with the rare genetic disorder Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. Dorman visited Godolphin's Gainsborough Farm in Versailles, Ky. via the Make a Wish program when Cody's Wish was an unnamed foal and was introduced to the curious colt while touring the farm. The colt showed a profound patience, gentleness and connection with the wheelchair-bound Dorman, touching the hearts of all on the farm and leading Godolphin to name the foal after his new friend.

Dorman has been on hand for multiple victories, including the horse's triumph in last fall's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland. Today's Met Mile win has earned Cody's Wish a return trip to the World Championships, slated to be held this year at Santa Anita Park.

Once again unsettled in the gate under Alvarado, Cody's Wish broke a step slow and was last down the Belmont Park backstretch. Dr. Schivel, Slow Down Andy, and Hoist the Gold led the way three across the track through a first quarter in :22.76, followed by Repo Rocks and a rough-running White Abarrio.

Charge It raced up into contention four-wide after a half-mile in :45.86, tracked by Zandon. Alvarado was trying to wait to make his move aboard Cody's Wish, but the big bay would not be denied and began his rally with a five-wide move around the quarter pole.

Cody's Wish was impressive down the lane, pulling away with ease to win by 3 1/4 lengths. Zandon got the nod over White Abarrio to finish second by a head, while Charge It had to settle for fourth. The remaining order of finish was as follows: Dr. Schivel, Slow Down Andy, Repo Rocks, Hoist the Gold, and Doppelganger.

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After Arabian Lion made short work of four rivals in the Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico on May 20, trainer Bob Baffert lamented that maybe he should have run the 3-year-old Justify colt later that afternoon in the day's marquee event: the 148th running of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes.

But the Hall of Fame trainer had that race covered anyway, when National Treasure fought off Blazing Sevens to give Baffert a record eighth triumph in the Triple Crown's middle jewel.

On Saturday at Belmont Park, Arabian Lion avoided the big name contest again, skipping the G1 Belmont Stakes at a mile and a half in favor of another race, but this one carrying coveted Grade 1 status: the 39th running of the Woody Stephens at seven furlongs.

Arabian Lion passed his first G1 test with flying colors, rallying from just off the pace under John Velazquez as the 2-1 favorite to win going away by 1 3/4 lengths over previously unbeaten Drew's Gold. The latter, who prompted the early pace set by another unbeaten colt, Federal Judge, had three-quarters of a length on third-place finisher Gilmore. They were followed by pace-setting Federal Judge, Gun Pilot, General Jim, Victory Formation, Fort Warren, Dark Vector, and Arman. New York Thunder and a second Baffert entry, Fort Bragg, were scratched earlier in the day. Harrodsburg, got in loose in the paddock and was scratched and returned to his barn apparently without incident.

Arabian Lion, winning for the third time in seven starts for Zedan Racing Stables, paid $6.70 to win.

This was Baffert's third Woody Stephens victory, previously winning with American Anthem in 2017 and Bayern in 2014. The race, which was inaugurated in 1985 as the Riva Ridge, was renamed to honor the Hall of Fame conditioner best known for his five consecutive victories in the Belmont Stakes, from 1982-'86.

Arabian Lion, produced from the Distorted Humor mare Unbound, was bred in Kentucky by Bonne Chance Farms and purchased by Zedan for $600,000 from the Hidden Brook consignment at the 2022 OBS April Sale of 2-year-olds in training. He won his debut in October at Santa Anita, then failed to pose for pictures in his next four starts, coming close in a Keeneland allowance race when second on the Breeders' Cup day undercard and second to First Mission in the G3 Lexington Stakes at the Lexington, Ky., track on April 15.

In most of his starts, Arabian Lion raced on the lead, but in the Stephens, he tucked in behind Federal Judge, who set fractions of :22.65 and :45.64 through the opening half mile. Velazquez switched Arabian Lion off the rail rounding into the stretch, hit the front at the furlong pole, the six furlongs in 1:09.37, and drew away impressively to the wire against a talented Drew's Gold.

“He broke well,” said Velazquez. “He got outrun right away so I sat behind the leaders. When I asked him to do it down the lane, he responded right away. He is a nice horse.”

Baffert said Arabian Lion would be under consideration for the G1 Haskell at Monmouth Park July 22, along with another top 3-year-old for Zedan Racing, Arabian Knight. “One of the Arabians will be there,” said Baffert.

“This horse, I've always been so high on, he's just been slow to come around. Amr Zedan, he let me be patient with him and now we're getting rewarded with the way he ran.”

Baffert called Arabian Lion's race in the Sir Barton “amazing,” then added, “I flew him back to California and I said, 'I probably won't bring him back' but he was doing so well, I could tell. He's just a smaller version of [sire] Justify and to have a horse by Justify – one of the greatest horses I've ever trained – and to bring him to New York and win a Grade 1, that's what we're all in the game for. I ran the right horse [National Treasure] in the Preakness. He wasn't ready for something like that.”

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