Cody's Wish uses powerful late run to collar Jackie's Warrior and upset the Forego Stakes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Bill Mott sent his most accomplished one-turn horse Speaker’s Corner cross-country Saturday in part to get away from Jackie’s Warrior, the seemingly unbeatable favorite in Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Forego at Saratoga.
Instead, Mott send out arguably his second-best one-turn horse to pull off a stunning upset as Cody’s Wish ran by Jackie’s Warrior inside the sixteenth pole to win the seven-furlong Forego by 1 1/4 lengths. Jackie’s Warrior, who took early pressure from Pipeline, finished second by 2 1/4 lengths over Pipeline. Baby Yoda, also trained by Mott, was fourth and was followed in order by Drafted, Three Two Zone and Kneedeepinsnow.
The win was the sixth from his last seven starts for Cody’s Wish, a son of Curlin owned and bred by Godolphin Racing. The loss was the first in six tries at Saratoga for Jackie’s Warrior, who earlier this summer became the first horse to win a Grade 1 stakes in three consecutive summers here.
Mott felt the speed that Grade 1 Carter Handicap winner Speaker’s Corner shows in his races wouldn’t have been effective against Jackie’s Warrior in the Forego, which is why he sent him to Del Mar for Saturday’s Grade 2 Pat O’Brien. Mott felt the off-the-pace style that Cody’s Wish utilizes could give him a chance to, at the very least, get a piece of the race.
“I really thought that the style of the race would suit this horse a little better,” Mott said afterward. “Rather than going head and head with Jackie’s Warrior, we just thought maybe this was our best shot.”
Under Junior Alvarado, Cody’s Wish was sixth early in the race, 5 1/2 lengths behind pacesetter Jackie’s Warrior, ridden by Joel Rosario. Jackie’s Warrior ran an opening quarter in 22.75 seconds and a half-mile in 45.10 with Pipeline pressing him under Irad Ortiz Jr.
Alvarado swung Cody’s Wish seven wide and into the clear at the quarter pole. Jackie’s Warrior didn’t edge away from Pipeline until well inside the eighth pole, and Cody’s Wish was motoring down the center of the main track. Cody’s Wish went past him 50 yards from the wire.
Cody’s Wish, the 8-1 second choice, returned $18 to win.
Though Mott thought Cody’s Wish might be laying closer to the pace Saturday, Alvarado was patient, saying he wanted to give the horse what he felt was his best chance to win.
“I was going to let him find his rhythm,” Alvarado said. “I wanted to make sure he finished up good today, and he did everything I wanted to. When I turned for home, I thought it was going to be a close race, and right when we passed the eighth pole I knew we were going to go by.”
Cody’s Wish covered the seven furlongs in 1:20.95, the second-fastest clocking of the Forego in 39 runnings at that distance and just .55 of a second off Darby Creek Road’s 44-year-old track record. Only Mitole (1:20.80) ran a faster Forego. Cody's Wish earned a 112 Beyer Speed Figure.
Mott said he was glad to see someone push Jackie's Warrior, and when he saw how Cody’s Wish was moving he thought he had a chance.
“When he cut the corner at the three-eighths pole I saw him moving,” said Mott, who won his first Forego. “I know when he starts moving he keeps moving.”
Jackie’s Warrior, who had won five graded stakes at Saratoga over three summers, had no real excuse Saturday, according to Rosario.
“We dealt with the horse on the outside for a little bit and he responded to everything I asked him to do, and that horse just came with a strong run today,” Rosario said.
While Asmussen said “it was sad” Jackie’s Warrior couldn’t make his final start at Saratoga a winning one, he tipped his hat to Cody’s Wish.
“Cody’s Wish ran great,” he said. “Under 1:21 for seven-eighths of a mile is a worthy Grade 1 winner.”