Breeders’ Cup: Cody’s Wish makes up ground to win Dirt Mile

Lexington, Ky. 

Cody’s Wish (2-1) had a lot of ground to make up and not much time to do it. But jockey Júnior Alvarado got the job done, turning the post-time favorite loose in the second turn at Keeneland. It proved to be the winning move Saturday in a windy running of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

With a full head of steam, the 4-year-old Curlin colt bred and owned by Godolphin and trained by Bill Mott stormed down the middle of the main track and won by a head over Cyberknife (3-1). Slow Down Andy (17-1) was another 1 3/4 lengths back in third.

Gunite (7-2) was another 2 1/4 lengths up the track in fourth. There was an objection and stewards’ inquiry after the race to review whether Cyberknife’s late, inward move interfered with Gunite, but there was no change in the order of finish.

The winning time was 1:35.33 after early fractions of 22.70, 45.71 and 1:10.34 for the two-turn race that had a 210-foot run-up. Cody’s Wish paid $6.32, $3.76 and $2.92; Cyberknife $4.14 and $3.54; and Slow Down Andy $6.30.

It was the fourth win in a row for Cody’s Wish, whose last start was his triumph in the Forego (G1) on Aug. 27 at Saratoga. He is six for his last seven as a post-time favorite. And it was the 11th Breeders’ Cup win for Mott and the first for Alvarado, who had been 0-for-15.

"We were a little bit concerned about the two-turn race, going into the first turn and whether he would get shuffled back, maybe not have the same momentum the first quarter of a mile," Mott said after the race. "But he settled into a beautiful stride when he headed down the backside. And Junior, looked like he tipped him to the outside to be sure he was going to be clear."

The race was run with a 23 mph west wind blowing from the backstretch to the grandstand and a threat of incoming rain.