Cody’s Wish pursues seventh straight win while facing five graded-stakes winners in G1 Whitney
At 2h51, on August 3, 2023 • By SARATOGA
Godolphin’s multiple Grade 1-winner Cody’s Wish brings a six-race win streak into Saturday’s 96th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney for older horses going nine furlongs at Saratoga Race Course.
The Whitney is a “Win And You’re In” qualifying event for the Grade 1, $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on November 4 at Santa Anita and headlines Saturday’s action-packed program. With five stakes consisting of purses in excess of $2.53 million, Whitney Day features two other Grade 1 events with the $600,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational for 3-year-olds going 1 3/16 miles over the Mellon turf and the $500,000 Test for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs over the main track. Also featured on the card is the Grade 3, $300,000 Troy for 4-year-olds and upward going 5 1/2 furlongs on the Mellon turf; and $135,000 Fasig-Tipton Lure for 4-year-olds and upward going 1 1/16 miles over turf.
Cody’s Wish, who boasts a record of 13-9-1-3 and field-high earnings of $2,328,530, will attempt to add a fifth consecutive Grade 1 triumph to his ledger. After launching his run of winning form in last year’s Grade 3 Westchester at Belmont Park and Churchill Downs’ Hanshin Cup last July, Cody’s Wish defeated 2021 Champion Sprinter Jackie’s Warrior in the Forego last August at Saratoga. The bay son of Curlin passed the two-turn test when capturing the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in November at Keeneland, defeating dual Grade 1-winner Cyberknife by a head. Six months later, he commenced his 5-year-old season with more Grade 1 glory in the seven-furlong Churchill Downs on the May 6 Kentucky Derby undercard.
The son of multiple Champion-producing stallion Curlin arrives at the Whitney from a 3 1/4-length victory in the Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap where he equaled a career-high 112 Beyer Speed Figure.
A Kentucky homebred, Cody’s Wish is out of the Tapit mare Dance Card who also produced graded stakes winner Endorsed. He is a direct descendant of influential matriarch La Troienne.
Junior Alvarado, who captured the 2014 Whitney aboard Moreno, has been aboard Cody’s Wish since capturing last year’s Westchester and retains the mount aboard the 1-2 morning line favorite from post 6.
