First mares reported in foal to Cody's Wish

Horse of the Year Cody’s Wish, the most expensive new stallion of this season, has had his first mares reported in foal, owner-breeder Godolphin announced over the weekend.

Cody’s Wish, by Curlin, stands under Godolphin’s Darley Stallions banner at Jonabell Farm in Kentucky for an advertised fee of $75,000 in his first season. The group of mares in foal to the 2023 Horse of the Year includes Kite Beach, whose first foal is Tarifa, Godolphin’s Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra winner and Kentucky Oaks hopeful. Unraced Kite Beach, by Awesome Again, is out of Grade 2 winner Tizdubai, a full sister to Hall of Famer Tiznow.

With Cody’s Wish having mares confirmed in foal, all of the Eclipse Award champions and/or classic winners retired to stud in Kentucky for 2024 have now checked off this milestone. The group also includes Eclipse champions Arcangelo (Lane’s End), Elite Power (Juddmonte), Forte (Spendthrift Farm), and Up to the Mark (Lane’s End); Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Airdrie Stud); and Preakness Stakes winner Rombauer (War Horse Place). Arcangelo successfully began the breeding season on time after undergoing surgery in November to repair a short lateral condylar fracture to his left hind leg, revealed during diagnostics following his scratch from the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Cody’s Wish half-brother wins

Hunt Ball, a 3-year-old half-brother to Cody’s Wish, won his maiden Saturday at Gulfstream Park, continuing to improve the record for their dam, Grade 1 winner Dance Card.

Hunt Ball, by leading sire Into Mischief, is trained by Bill Mott for owner-breeder Godolphin, the same connections as Cody’s Wish. The colt was making his fifth career start, and first not run on dirt, in a mile and 70-yard maiden special weight taken off turf and run on Gulfstream’s synthetic track. He won by 1 1/2 lengths.

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Hunt Ball became the third winner from four starters for Dance Card, who won the 2012 Gazelle Stakes and finished third in the following year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. The 14-year-old Tapit mare also is the dam of graded stakes winner Endorsed and stakes-placed Bocephus.

Endorsed was expected to begin covering mares this week at Northview Stallion Station in Maryland after surgery for a fetlock injury that ended his racing career.

Dance Card also is the dam of a 2-year-old Street Sense filly and a yearling Gun Runner filly, born in March 2023. She was bred back to Curlin for a full sibling to Cody’s Wish as her 2024 foal.

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