Many people love horses. They are fun to ride, and it is equally enjoyable when equine enthusiasts come together to watch horses race. Many racehorses have gained fame over the years, but one horse, Cody’s Wish, stands out in particular due to an everlasting bond with a boy that is this very
horse’s namesake. It all started in 2018, when a boy named Cody Dorman met a young foal at Godolphin’s Gainsborough Farm in Versailles, Kentucky.
Dorman was no ordinary kid; this boy, who is a Kentucky native himself, was born with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, a devastating disease that renders aperson non-verbal and unable to care for themselves. Dorman was able to visit this horse on behalf of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and from the very moment the young horse and Dorman interacted with each other for the first time, their friendship would continue to last for many years, and Dorman would become the good-luck charm for the horse, who would later be renamed Cody’s Wish, in Dorman’s honor.
Ever since his first encounter with Cody Dorman, Cody’s Wish would soon begin a largely triumphant racing career; the horse began his racing journey as a three-year-old, ending up with three third place finishes at Saratoga and Belmont Park. However, luck would soon be on the rookie horse’s side when in October of 2021, Cody’s Wish broke his maiden, meaning he claimed victory in a race at Churchill Downs, much to the thrill and delight of fans everywhere, including Cody Dorman, the number one fan of Cody’s Wish. Dorman continues to support his favorite horse for the next two years of the racehorse’s career, including most recently in 2023; this was the fifth and final year for Cody’s Wish in the racing world, as he recently retired after winning the Breeder’s Cup Dirt Mile on Saturday November 4th of this year. Cody’s Wish, despite his recent retirement, continues to have widespread fame throughout the years, as the heartwarming story between a special horse and an extra special boy will never be forgotten.
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