A gritty Cody’s Wish victorious in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile over Cyberknife (Courtney Snow/Past The Wire)
Churchill Downs Press Release/Edited
LOUISVILLE, Ky.— Godolphin’s Cody’s Wish, winner of last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI), makes his 2023 debut Saturday when he tops a field of 11 entered for the 88th running of the Churchill Downs (GI) presented by Ford for 4-year-olds and up going seven furlongs on the main track.
The Churchill Downs will go as the day’s 10th race with a 4:31 p.m. post time.
Trained by Bill Mott, Cody’s Wish won his final four starts of 2022 with one of those victories coming in the Forego (GI). Junior Alvarado has the mount and will break from post seven.
Topping the list of challengers to Cody’s Wish is 2022 Florida Derby (GI) winner White Abarrio, who is also entered in Friday’s Westchester (GIII) at Belmont Park.
Owned by C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa Stable and trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., White Abarrio comes into the Churchill Downs off his first sprint start since the fall of 2021, a 4 ½-length victory going seven furlongs on March 4 at Gulfstream Park.
Paco Lopez has the mount and will break from post one should connections opt for this spot.
Trainer Peter Miller has two entrants in the race: Altamira Racing Stable, Madaket Stables, Gary Barber and Tom Kagele’s C Z Rocket and Gary Barber’s Get Her Number.
A two-time runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI), C Z Rocket returns to Churchill Downs for the first time since the summer of 2020. Eighth in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (GI) in March in his most recent start, C Z Rocket will break from post two and be ridden by Flavien Prat.
Get Her Number was third at Keeneland in last month’s Commonwealth (GIII). Joel Rosario has the mount and will break from post five.
The two horses that finished in front of Get Her Number in the Commonwealth, Nathan Hayden’s Hear Mi Song and Dream Team One Racing Stable’s Hoist the Gold, return in the Churchill Downs.
The field for the Churchill Downs, with riders from the rail out, is: White Abarrio (Lopez), C Z Rocket (Prat), Here Mi Song (Alex Achard), Hoist the Gold (Luis Saez), Get Her Number (Rosario), Tejano Twist (Chris Landeros), Cody’s Wish (Alvarado), Fortin Hill (Gerardo Corrales), Sir Alfred James (Rafael Bejarano), Endorsed (Tyler Gaffalione), Steal Sunshine (Irad Ortiz Jr.). All starters will carry 123 pounds.
