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Jockey Junior Alvarado celebrates back to back Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile wins aboard Cody's Wish.

World Championships
Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Results

Date: 11/4/2023

Saturday Results Summary (dirt)  -  Saturday Results Summary (turf)  -  F&M Sprint -  Turf Sprint -  Dirt Mile -  F&M Turf -  Sprint -  Mile -  Distaff -  Turf -  Classic
Friday Results Summary -  Juvenile Turf Sprint -  Juvenile Fillies Turf -  Juvenile Fillies -  Juvenile Turf -  Juvenile  
Wrap Up   -   Entries   -   Monday Works   -   Tuesday Works   -   Wednesday Works   -   Thursday Works

The $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) featured a field of 7 older horses going 1 mile on the main track. Defending champion Cody's Wish was sent off as the 4-5 favorite off his Vosburgh (G1) win at Aqueduct. In to challenge him included 4-1 second choice Zozos, winner of the Ack Ack (G3), and 9-2 third choice National Treasure, winner of the Preakness Stakes (G1) but fourth in the Awesome Again (G1) at Santa Anita last out.

Down the stretch in the Dirt Mile

Jockey Flavien Prat sent National Treasure to the lead first time by through fractions of 22.51, 46.02, and 1:09.78 while pressed by 11-1 Skippylongstocking and stalked by 42-1 longest shot Shirl's Bee. In the stretch National Treasure continued to lead through 7f in 1:22.86. Cody's Wish, 6th early under Junior Alvarado, came through between horses to collar National Treasure inside the 1/8 pole. During the duel Cody's Wish bore in as National Treasure bore out at the 1/16 pole, causing the pair to bump before Cody's Wish prevailed by a nose in 1:35.97. It was a long 3 3/4 lengths back to Skippylongstocking third. There was a lengthy stewards' inquiry into the bumping incident but the result stood.

Cody's Wish wins the Dirt Mile
Pgm  Horse              Jockey            Win   Place  Show
  3   Cody's Wish        Alvarado          3.60   2.60  2.10
  9   National Treasure  Prat                     4.20  3.20
  6   Skippylongstocking Gaffalione   .                 4.00

Winning Time:  1:35.97                     

$1 Exacta 3-9                          7.20  
$1 Trifecta 3-9-6                     33.70
$1 Superfecta 3-9-6-5                 78.40
Results chart

Left: Cody's Wish in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Bill Mott said, "A great story, it's a great story, an inspiration for a lot of people. To see what it has done for Cody Dorman and his family and a lot of people around him. Look, I have a wrist band and it says 'Cody's Wish. Sometimes wishes do come true.' I think Junior got his head in front and the way he felt, he said that horse was never going to get by him. (National Treasure) drifted out into us and came out a couple paths and I think there was a slight brush and we probably brushed him back but it did not knock either of them off stride."

Right: Cody's Wish at the back of the field first time by. Michael Banahan representing owner Godolphin said, "He was on the muscle today. What a great ride by Junior. Fantastic training feat by Bill, keeping him in training, and having a back-to-back Breeders' Cup winner is special. There's not too many horses have done it, but he ranks up there with all the best of them to have done that as well, as a repeat winner. We're so fortunate to have him and so fortunate to share the story with the Dorman family. We regret the run coming to an end. Hopefully there's going to be great opportunities for the Dormans to come out and visit him at the stallion barn when he gets there, and hopefully there will be some babies down the road. If Bill is still training, if that happens, maybe we'll get some babies down the road as well, and we can do it again."

Left: Cody's Wish in the post parade. Winning jockey Junior Alvarado said, "He broke OK again, better than the last couple of races. I had to save every inch of ground with him. I didn't have the luxury of swinging him outside because I knew this was a tough race. He always is there for me. He is just a big fighter for me. (National Treasure) came out first and initiated contact. Once that happened, I knew I had one green light for me to go back at him. I just needed to keep him as straight as possible."

Right: Cody's Wish heads back to the barn after the race. Mott added, "I didn't know where he was going to be positioned in the race. Last time he was a little closer. Today it looked like more of a repeat of the Breeders' Cup last year. He's maybe a little better at one turn. He started him running on the turn, and I thought I do need to see the rerun again. But the fact that he split horses in the turn could have made the difference. I think, if he goes around, he loses another half length or so. It was a great ride and a great run by the horse. It was a good effort. I believe what Junior's told me, once he got his head in front, he wasn't going to let that horse by at any point.

Left: Second place finisher National Treasure heads out of the paddock. Jockey Flavien Prat said, "The plan was to send him today. He ran very well, it was a comfortable pace.  I was right where I wanted to be and he was really giving it to me.  There were a couple of bumps in the stretch."

Right: Third place finisher Skippylongstocking in the walking ring. Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said, "He ran big. The best horse won and it’s a great story. If I could not win, that is the horse I wanted to win. Tyler (Gaffalione) gave him a great trip and got him into position. I am proud of him."

Left: The start of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Alvarado said, "I could see some horses fading. For me, I couldn't go around. I didn't feel I had the luxury to go around the horses since these are Grade 1 horses. He was helping me. I was like let me try to cut the corner a little bit, save some ground since it's moving forward. I did all that, and right when I tip him out, he was there for me."

Right: Cody's Wish and National Treasure circle as they await the stewards' decision. Alvarado added, "Right when I got next to National Treasure, I know he kind of came out and tried to meet with my horse. He start kind of like the brushing. I just think at that point where he's brushing my horse, I had the bigger horse and the mean horse, probably. He was trying to go right after him. Trying to keep him straight, but like I said, at that point, I think my horse was feeling a little bit of a fight, and he tried to go right after the other horse. But I knew it was nothing really to change the outcome. My horse was already in front, and like I said, he was never going to let that other horse go by again."

Saturday Results Summary (dirt)  -  Saturday Results Summary (turf)  -  F&M Sprint -  Turf Sprint -  Dirt Mile -  F&M Turf -  Sprint -  Mile -  Distaff -  Turf -  Classic
Friday Results Summary -  Juvenile Turf Sprint -  Juvenile Fillies Turf -  Juvenile Fillies -  Juvenile Turf -  Juvenile  
Wrap Up   -   Entries   -   Monday Works   -   Tuesday Works   -   Wednesday Works   -   Thursday Works

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