Godolphin homebred and Bridlewood Farm alumnus Cody’s Wish was honored with the two Eclipse Awards as the 2023 Horse of the Year and Champion Older Dirt Male to lead the way among several graduates of Ocala and Marion County early training programs similarly celebrated. Cody’s Wish is one of two Eclipse Award winners who graduated from Bridlewood Farm as Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Pretty Mischievous is also a product of the early race training program at the iconic Ocala facility.
The 53rd annual Eclipse Awards were held Thursday night at the Breakers resort in Palm Beach, Fla., and honored Thoroughbreds and individuals for their racing industry achievements in 2023.
Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, who won his fourth Eclipse Award as champion trainer Thursday night, Cody’s Wish took the Grade 1 Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile for the second consecutive year to cap 2023 with four wins, all in graded stakes, in five starts with earnings of $1,773,900. The son of Curlin was retired following his Breeders’ Cup victory, ending a career that saw him win 11 of 16 starts with one win and four thirds and a bankroll of $3,106,030. Cody’s Wish has more G1 wins at a mile on dirt than any other colt ever. With eight career triple-digit Beyers. His 112 in the G1 Met Mile is the highest of the year.
The five-time grade 1 winner is standing his first season at Darley America in Kentucky.
Pretty Mischievous collected the Champion Three-Year-Old Filly Award. Trained by Brendan Walsh, the Into Mischief homebred posted three top-level wins in 2023, including a first success for Godolphin in the Kentucky Oaks. “Pretty Mischievous has gone back to Brendan’s base in Palm Meadows recently and we are looking forward to a big 2024 with her. Hopefully, we will be standing up here again next year.”
