A horse finishes first, the race is declared official, and that’s that. It’s not complicated, unlike the process to determine the Eclipse Award for the 2023 Horse of the Year.
Sometimes it’s a no-brainer, as it was in 2015 and 2018 when American Pharoah and Justify swept the Triple Crown. This time there’s plenty of room for disagreement among the three voting blocs, members of the Daily Racing Form, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, and National Turf Writers and Broadcasters. Many journalists already have gone public with their selections, which are far from unanimous.
There are no criteria, no formulas. It’s not all business; sometimes it’s personal. And in matters of opinion, there can be no wrong answer, no matter what you may think.
Cody’s Wish or White Abarrio: Unveiling the Breeders’ Cup Classic Clash
White Abarrio (3), ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., wins the Longines Breeder’s Cup Classic
Which carries more weight, body of work, or most Grade 1 wins? Which means more, the best continuing story (Cody’s Wish), or dominance in the grand finale, the Breeders’ Cup Classic (White Abarrio)? If an injury hadn’t kept Belmont Stakes/Travers hero Arcangelo out of the Classic, he might have been in the mix for Jena Antonucci, the first woman to train the winner of a Triple Crown race. Standout mare Idiomatic (8-for-9) will get a few votes.
It will boil down to Cody’s Wish against White Abarrio, who split their two meetings. Cody’s Wish (4-for-5 overall) won by 3½ lengths in the prestigious Metropolitan Mile before White Abarrio (3-for-5) dominated him by 10 lengths in the 1 1/8-mile Whitney. Cody’s Wish was a great sprinter-miler and taking a shot at 9 furlongs was out of his comfort zone.
In five of the last seven years, the Breeders’ Cup Classic champion was Horse of the Year, but don’t expect White Abarrio to earn the top prize, which will go to Cody’s Wish.
Unveiling Cody’s Wish: Racing’s Emotional Connection and Legacy
The heartwarming tale of his connection to an ailing teenager stretched far beyond racing and into mainstream media. Named for Cody Dorman, who suffered from a rare genetic disorder, Cody’s Wish became a fan favorite. Sadly, the day after his second straight Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile victory, Dorman died on the way home to Kentucky after attending the race at Santa Anita.
Nuts-and-bolts handicappers will point to the distance limitations of Cody’s Wish. Around one turn, he was 11-for-13; around two turns, 0-for-3. Fun factoid: If he becomes the 53rd Horse of the Year, he’ll be the first to retire without ever winning beyond a mile. (In 2012 turf specialist Wise Dan didn’t win the past 8 furlongs, but during his career, he won six two-turn stakes.)
Yet sometimes the Story of the Year makes the Horse of the Year, which is how this unique saga will end. That’s how it played out in 2010 when the beloved mare Zenyatta was crowned despite running second to Blame in the Classic. Her bid to go 20-for-20 was by far the most compelling storyline, just like Cody’s Wish’s was. Down the road, we’ll recall his inspiring run for Cody Dorman in 2023, when it was their year.
Horse of the Year will be announced on Jan. 25.