Churchill Downs Stakes (Grade 1)

MAGE’S upset victory in the Kentucky Derby packed an emotional punch but paled in comparison to what unfolded about two and a half hours before thanks to the story – and the horse – that keeps on giving.

Cody’s Wish sent racing fans around the world scrambling for their tissues with his victory last fall in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland and did so again before an even larger on-track and television audience with a win in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs.

Not a dry eye could be spotted in and around the winner’s circle after Cody’s Wish destroyed his seven opponents in the $750,000 seven-furlong stakes race.

Even Peter Miller, who saddled runner-up Get Her Number, wanted to catch a glimpse of American racing’s biggest star and his namesake following his fifth straight victory.

“Where’s Cody?” Miller asked his two young sons, Jacob and Seth, as they snaked their way through onlookers along the outside rail.

They eventually spotted Cody Dorman, a 17-year-old from nearby Richmond, Kentucky., born with a frequently fatal condition known as Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome.

Godolphin’s homebred Curlin colt was named for Dorman after the two met during a Make A Wish event sponsored by Godolphin and Keeneland five years ago. The two have been connected ever since, taking fans along for the ride and wowing his connections.

The latest wow came via Cody’s Wish’s four and three quarter-length win going 1m 21.17secs in his first start in more than six months.

Better

“I don’t even know how to describe how much better he got today,” winning jockey Junior Alvarado said. “What I felt today is what you want to feel when you ride horses in big races, to feel the whole machine underneath you.

“Today, he was just a lovely animal to ride. He was there with me every step of the way. When I asked him, he didn’t hold anything back, he just went by those horses.”

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, before making his way out of the winner’s circle to watch the replay, came away in awe yet again.

“With this horse winning, it’s really way more than a horse race,” Mott said. “For us, Cody Dorman and Cody’s Wish make it something special.

“When this horse came back after the race, and hearing the crowd, they were going crazy up there, more than they normally cheer for any other race. And the horse is just so great. He’s been showing up every time. He’s been off since the Breeders’ Cup, but it sure looked like he was ready today.”

Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes (Grade 1)

REPOLE Stable and St Elias Stable, trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., who came to Louisville hoping to realise Derby dreams with Forte, teamed to win the race preceding the main event when Up To The Mark handled seven others in the Grade 1 $1 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes.

The four-year-old son of Not This Time rolled to a three and three quarter-length win over the Irish-bred Hong Kong Harry for his first stakes victory in nine starts.

The win was worth $601,400 but took little of the sting out of losing the Derby morning-line favourite just hours before the race.

Earlier on the card, in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff Stakes for females, the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner and odds-on favourite Goodnight Olive met defeat for the first time in six outings. Meeting a troubled passage in the straight, she could only manage third to the Flavien Prat ridden, Brad Cox trained, Godolphin runner Matareya.

Belmont Park

There was further success for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby’s US raids when Ottoman Fleet got a good run up the rails to win the Grade 2 Fort Marcy Stakes at Belmont Park on Saturday. The Sea The Stars gelding, under Richard Mullen, won by a length and three-quarters in a course record time for the nine furlongs.