America’s feelgood horse Cody’s Wish jumped into the world’s top three when he drew away for an impressive victory on Saturday [June 10] in the Metropolitan Handicap – and his sire Curlin is new #1 among dirt sires.
The hugely popular Godolphin five-year-old was completing a G1 four-timer in the $1 million event better known as the Met Mile – and he has now won nine of his last ten starts, including the last six.
For his part, Curlin (#1 from #2, +93pt) has edged Into Mischief as the leader among dirt sires. The Hill ’N’ Dale stallion, also successful with Clairiere and Elite Power at the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, is also #5 (from #6) on the overall sires’ list.
Cody’s Wish was undeniably eyecatching in Met Mile, sponsored by Curlin’s farm. After breaking a step slow, Cody’s Wish made smooth progress with a looping rally wide around the far turn before being ridden out by Junior Alvarado to score by 3¼ lengths from Zandon, to whom he was conceding 4lb.
With a boost of 149pt on Thoroughbred Racing Commentary’s Global Rankings, he moves up to #3 (from #7) behind world leader Equinox, who is set to run later this month in the prestigious Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin in Japan.
“I thought he had a possibility of being a good horse before we ever ran him,” said trainer Bill Mott.
“It took us a couple of races to get him going in the right direction and to get him educated enough to where he knew how to use his run. He’s finally figured it out.”
Mott was completing a double on the richly endowed Belmont Stakes card after Elite Power (#8 from #14, +91pt) – another five-year-old son of Curlin – posted an accomplished victory in the G2 True North.
The Breeders’ Cup Sprint hero duly joins Cody’s Wish in the world top ten after winning his seventh in a row with an accomplished off-the-pace performance in the G2 True North.
“He’s gotten very good,” said Mott, who later mused on whether his stable stars might have to clash in the not-too-distant future.
“They could possibly run against each other in the Forego [Saratoga, August 26],” the trainer added. “That would be the only race I could conceive. The timing of that race and the distance, it would be back to seven furlongs for Cody’s Wish and up to seven eights for Elite Power. I could see it happening. I wouldn’t rule it out.”
Mott also mentioned the possibility of stepping Cody’s Wish up to nine furlongs for the G1 Whitney on August 5.
With nine G1s over the weekend once the Canadian smoke cleared over New York, there was no shortage of significant movers elsewhere at Belmont Park.
Leading turf racemare In Italian (#13 from #26, +115pt) easily justified odds-on favoritism for her fourth G1 win as she went wire-to-wire in the Just A Game on Friday’s card, while 24 hours later on the main track, Clairiere (#21 from #58, +104pt) completed back-to-back successes in the Ogden Phipps. The Curlin mare also now owns four top-level wins, having landed the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn on her previous start.
Still among the females, the decision to forgo Royal Ascot with Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Caravel bore fruit when Qatar Racing’s six-year-old extended her winning streak to five in the G1 Jaipur. A return to the Breeders’ Cup, for which this $400,000 contest was a ‘Win and you’re in’ race, is the primary target.
Rejuvenated by the move to turf this term, Up To The Mark (#23 from #139, +254pt) followed up last month’s Turf Classic victory at Churchill Downs with a comfortable victory in the Manhattan, while Kentucky Oaks winner Pretty Mischievous moves up to #77 (from #140, +121pt) after getting the better of Dorth Vader in a tight finish to the Acorn.
Although Belmont Stakes winner Arcangelo (#68 from #291, +249pt) makes a big jump, his relatively lowly status overall is indicative of his having won only a single G3 event previously. Last year’s champion juvenile Forte (#12 from #8, -71) moves down a few notches after staying on to be beaten a length and a half in the $1.5m Classic.
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