Cody’s Wish attempts to earn first race with namesake on hand
Friday’s Churchill Downs media notes by Kevin Kerstein are jam-packed with great information (Churchill Downs photo above of Cody’s Wish)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Friday, Oct. 1, 2021) – For most race fans that scan through Saturday’s first race, they’ll notice a field of nine colts and geldings that will attempt to win their first career race. However, one horse in Saturday’s opener has a much deeper meaning than what’s shown in the program and that’s Godolphin’s 3-year-old colt Cody’s Wish, who is named after Cody Dorman – a Richmond, Ky. teenager that suffers from a rare genetic disorder called Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome.
In 2018, Godolphin sponsored Dorman at Keeneland’s Make A Wish Day. The teen developed a special bond with Cody’s Wish when he was just a foal. Three years later, Cody’s Wish is the 7-5 morning line favorite in Saturday’s first race at Churchill Downs. Trained by Bill Mott, Cody’s Wish finished third in all three of his previous starts. The son of Curlin will be ridden Saturday by Joel Rosario.
Dorman and his family are scheduled to attend Saturday’s program at Churchill Downs. The first race is 12:45 p.m.
ALOHA WEST TO SCRATCH FROM SATURDAY’S $300,000 ACK ACK – Trainer Wayne Catalano reported Friday morning that Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Aloha West will scratch from Saturday’s $300,000 Ack Ack (Grade III) in favor of running in the $250,000 Phoenix (GII) on Oct. 8 at Keeneland.
Aloha West was tabbed as the 7-2 second morning line choice behind Stonestreet Stables’ budding star Beau Liam (3-1).
Also in the Ack Ack, J S Stables’ Ebben was re-entered for a conditioned allowance race Sunday at Churchill Downs.
The field of nine runners for the Ack Ack will head to post at 5:26 p.m. in Race 10. The one-mile event co-headlines Saturday’s 11-race card with the $400,000 Lukas Classic (GIII) that features multiple Grade I winner Knicks Go. The Lukas Classic goes as Race 8 at 4:22 p.m.
HERNANDEZ JR. BECOMES 12TH JOCKEY TO WIN 700 RACES AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – Brian Hernandez Jr. became only the 12th jockey in Churchill Downs history to ride 700 winners at the home of the Kentucky Derby when the 35-year-old won Thursday’s third race aboard Dream On It for trainer Dallas Stewart.
Hernandez Jr., who began riding professionally in 2003, won his first race at Churchill Downs in 2004. Overall, the native of Lafayette, La. has won 2,233 races and his mounts have amassed more than $95.7 million from 16,166 starts during an 18-year riding career.
He won the Eclipse Award in 2004 as the nation’s champion apprentice jockey. In 2012, Hernandez Jr. won the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita aboard Fort Larned for his biggest career win.
The top 12 jockeys in races won at Churchill Downs: 1. Pat Day (2,482), 2. Calvin Borel(1,232), 3. Robby Albarado (1,192), 4. Corey Lanerie (1,151), 5. Julien Leparoux (982), 6. Don Brumfield (925), 7. Larry Melancon (914), 8. Jim McKnight (883), 9. Charlie Woods Jr. (757), 10. Shane Sellers (738), 11. Shaun Bridgmohan (728) and 12. Brian Hernandez Jr. (700).
MILESTONE WATCH – Churchill Downs and North America’s all-time leading trainer Steve Asmussen entered Friday’s program just two wins away from 800 victories beneath the Twin Spires.Asmussen had four horses entered across three races Friday.
Trainers Bernie Flint and Dallas Stewart were also on the cusp of Churchill Downs milestone victories Friday. Flint was one win away from 500 and Stewart was one away from 300. They both had one entry.
TV SCHEDULE – Churchill Downs races are scheduled to air this week on “America’s Day at the Races” on the Fox Sports family of networks. Here is today’s broadcast schedule:
Saturday: 12:30-6:30 p.m.; Fox Sports 2
Sunday: 12:30-4:30 p.m.; Fox Sports 2; |4:30-5:30 p.m.; Fox Sports 1 |5:30-6 p.m.; Fox Sports 2
MEMORIAL TO CELEBRATE ‘DOC’ RICHARDSON SATURDAY 2-4 P.M. – A public memorial to celebrate the life of the late Dr. J. David “Doc” Richardson will be held Saturday (Oct. 2) at Churchill Downs.
Richardson, the distinguished Louisville surgeon who was an owner, breeder and widely-respected leader in the horse racing industry, died Sept. 7 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. from complications due to a breakthrough COVID infection. He was 76.
The celebration will take place Saturday from 2-4 p.m. (all times Eastern) in the Starting Gate Suites 4th Floor. Guests should
enter Churchill Downs via the Executive Gate, which is located next to the Kentucky Derby Museum near the Barbaro horse statue.
Saturday’s sixth race, which is scheduled to run at approximately 3:18 p.m., will be dedicated to “Doc” and the “J. David ‘Doc’ Richardson Celebration of Life” trophy will be presented to the winning connections.
For additional information, visit: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/louisville/name/james-richardson-obituary?pid=200087583.
MANDATORY CLOSING DAY PAYOUT FOR DERBY CITY 6 – A lucrative total Derby City 6 pool could await bettors Sunday for closing day of Churchill Downs’ 12-day September Meet. There’s a $63,641 jackpot carryover on Friday (Races 5-10). The pool will be rewarding Sunday if there’s not a single winning ticket on Friday or Saturday.
The Derby City 6 jackpot pool only is paid if there is a single winning ticket. When multiple tickets contain six winners 90 percent of that day’s pool is paid out and 10 percent is added to the jackpot carryover.
Because Sunday is closing day, there will be a mandatory Derby City 6 payout with all monies distributed to ticket holders with the most winners in the six-race series. Sunday’s Derby City 6, which only costs 20 cents per combination, is scheduled to cover Races 5-10 starting at approximately 2:45 p.m. (all times Eastern).
Takeout on the Derby City 6 is just 15 percent, which is one of the lowest multi-race wager takeout rates in American racing.
Fans can wager on the Derby City 6 on track at Churchill Downs; www.TwinSpires.com, the track’s official online wagering platform; other online wagering outlets; and select satellite betting centers throughout North America.
DOWN THE STRETCH – Friday’s 10-race program had a first post of 12:45 p.m. and featured the first running of the $160,000 Seneca Overnight Stakes in Race 9. … Northeast-based jockeys Javier Castellano, Jose Lezcano, Paco Lopez and Joel Rosario are named to ride at Churchill Downs on Saturday. … Churchill Downs-based jockeys Tyler Gaffalione and Ricardo Santana Jr. are named to ride at Belmont Park on Saturday, while Florent Geroux is scheduled to ride at Santa Anita. … Churchill Downs training hours will be from 5:30-9 a.m. starting Oct. 4 through Oct. 11. There will be one track renovation break at 7 a.m. … Saturday is Law Enforcement Day at Churchill Downs. Law enforcement officers will receive free general admission with a valid I.D. There are also discounted dining tickets available for officers. Those tickets can be purchased by calling the group sales office at (502) 636-4450 or emailing [email protected].
