The Riverside Press-Enterprise
Argument for Cody’s Wish as Horse of the Year
When the 53rd annual Eclipse Awards — the Oscars of horse racing — are announced today, either Cody’s Wish, Idiomatic or White Abarrio will join other equine greats such as Secretariat, Spectacular Bid and Flightline as a Horse of the Year winner.
While all three of this year’s candidates for the most prestigious of the Eclipse Awards can lay a legitimate claim to the honor, Santa Anita and Del Mar morning-line maker and racing historian Jon White doesn’t think it’s a close race.
“The way I see it, Cody’s Wish is a heavy favorite,” White wrote in an email when asked his opinions about the Eclipse ceremony that will be held at The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida and is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m.
White points out that he believes Fierceness (juvenile males), Just F Y I (juvenile fillies), Arcangelo (3-year-old male), Pretty Mischievous (3-year-old female), Elite Power (male sprinter), Idiomatic (older dirt female) and Irad Ortiz, Jr. (top jockey) are slamdunk winners.
He explained his thinking on the three contenders for Horse of the Year:
“Cody’s Wish won two big races, the Met Mile and Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile,”
White wrote. “In the Dirt Mile, he showed tremendous heart, closing resolutely to get up in the last jump and nose out Preakness Stakes winner National Treasure.”
While Idiomatic won six stakes races in 2023, including the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, White sees a major flaw in her candidacy.
“All of those wins came in races restricted to fillies and mares,” he wrote. “Idiomatic would have had a stronger case for Horse of the Year if she had won a stakes race against males.” And White Abarrio? “Cody’s Wish won four stakes races in 2023, twice as many as White Abarrio,”
White wrote.
The two squared off against each other twice last year, with Cody’s Wish winning the Met Mile while White Abarrio finished third and the latter finishing first in the Whitney Stakes at Saratoga as Cody’s Wish came home third.
The race for top trainer is an intriguing one. All three finalists — Bill Mott, Chad Brown and Brad Cox — have won the award more than once, but Mott might have a leg up on the other two this time.
”Brad Cox certainly had a terrific year, but so did Bill Mott,” White wrote. “I believe Mott probably is going to get his fourth Eclipse Award as outstanding trainer, largely because it’s likely that he will be the trainer of three 2023 champions in Cody’s Wish, Just F Y I and Elite Power.”
White believes the most wide-open category is the female turf division. The three finalists are In Italian, Inspiral and Mawj.
“It’s probably between In Italian and Inspiral,” he wrote. “My guess is the edge will go to In Italian, but I won’t be surprised if it’s Inspiral.”
The festivities will be televised by Fanduel TV and Racetrack Television Network and streamed on multiple outlets.