Cody's Wish stalks and pounces his way to victory in Westchester
Cody’s Wish moved past pacesetter Sound Money approaching the quarter pole and went on to a five-length win over that one in the Grade 3, $200,000 Westchester on Saturday at Belmont Park. It was another six and a half lengths back in third to Zoomer.
The Westchester was one of three stakes on the card. L’Imperator ($22.60) won the Grade 2 Fort Marcy and Virginia Joy ($2.90) won the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay, with both from the barn of trainer Chad Brown.
Bill Mott trains Cody’s Wish ($3.70), who was winning his first stakes in the Westchester, a one-turn mile race for 4-year-olds and up held over a sloppy, sealed track.
Cody’s Wish sat just off the pace set by Brown trainee Sound Money, who took the field through an opening quarter in 22.68 seconds and 44.91 for the half-mile. Cody’s Wish advanced on the turn, moved to the fore through six furlongs in 1:08.82, and went on to win in hand in 1:34.68.
Junior Alvarado was aboard the homebred son of Curlin for Godolphin.
Cody’s Wish came into the Westchester off a runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Challenger on March 12 at Tampa Bay Downs. Prior to the start, he won his maiden and a pair of allowances. Cody’s Wish has now won 4 of 8 starts for earnings of $385,060.