Tom Pedulla presents five key takeaways from the 40^th Breeders’ Cup World Championships held this past Friday and Saturday at Santa Anita Park.

EDITOR'S NOTE: America’s Best Racing is heartbroken to learn of Cody Dorman’s passing Nov. 5 due to a medical episode on his trip home to Kentucky after attending the 2023 Breeders’ Cup. Cody Dorman, the namesake of two-time Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Cody’s Wish, was an inspiration to the entire ABR team and the sport of horse racing. 

STORYBOOK FINISH TO HEARTBREAKING FAREWELL: Five-year-old Cody’s Wish provided a storybook finish to his marvelous career when he staged a tremendous rally to overtake National Treasure by a nose to successfully defend his title in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Cody Dorman, the horse’s namesake, had one of the best seats in the house as he watched with his family. Dorman met Cody’s Wish as a foal in a Make-A-Wish encounter so heartwarming and memorable that Godolphin named the homebred after him. The teenager could not walk and communicated through a tablet by making subtle head movements. “I think that horse probably saved Cody’s life in a lot of ways. I know him and the horse has made a lot of lives better,” said Kelly Dorman, the young man’s father, earlier in the week. Sadly, Cody Dorman passed away from a medical episode Nov. 5 while traveling from California back to the family's home in Kentucky.

GOTTA BE THE SHOES: It takes a sharp team to win the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic. Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. was quick to credit preeminent blacksmith Ian McKinlay after White Abarrio prevailed by one length in Saturday’s Classic. “He’s the best,” Dutrow said. The trainer was twice forced to alter the 4-year-old colt’s workout schedule due to foot issues. He had McKinlay fly to California to equip his horse with glue-on shoes. With his new shoes, White Abarrio blazed five furlongs in 59.80 seconds on Oct. 27, ranking third of 39 horses at the distance. “We saw everything we were looking for,” Dutrow said of the crackling drill. The rest is history.

LEADING LADY: Trainer Brad Cox made a strong case for streaking Idiomatic as Horse of the Year after she dug in to take the $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff for her eighth victory in nine starts this season. “She definitely deserves some votes for Horse of the Year. It’s a serious record,” Cox said. “Once again, it’s Horse of the Year, not horse of the fall, horse of the summer, horse of the spring or horse of the Breeders’ Cup. She has had a tremendous year from start to finish. [Saturday] was just icing on the cake.” The daughter of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin produced consecutive Grade 1 scores ahead of the Distaff, rolling by four lengths in the Aug. 25 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga and by 4 ¼ lengths in the Oct. 8 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes at Keeneland. Cox may well have a point.

The Repole family with Juvenile winner Fierceness. (Eclipse Sportswire)

KEEPING THE FAITH: It would have been easy for owner Mike Repole and trainer Todd Pletcher to decide that Fierceness was not worthy of advancing to the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance after he finished a perplexing seventh in the Oct. 7 Champagne Stakes at Aqueduct, soundly defeated by 20 ¼ lengths. It also would have been a mistake. The colt flashed the tremendous ability he displayed in his debut at Saratoga by drawing off to a 6 ¼-length rout in the Juvenile. “He came back and breezed really well,” noted Pletcher. “We said, ‘We know he showed he can do it in the mornings. We know he showed he can do it in his debut.’ It was a classic case like we said going in, ‘We’re just going to draw a line through that race and try again.’ ” Plans call for the City of Light colt to be shipped to Palm Beach Downs in Florida as the connections set their sights on Kentucky Derby preparations.

SWEET SECOND: Japan continues to chase its first Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic victory, but Derma Sotogake’s effort has to bode well for the future. Although he missed by a length against White Abarrio, it was a tremendous performance under the circumstances. The UAE Derby Sponsored by Atlantis The Royal winner had not gone to the starting gate since he ran sixth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, eight lengths behind Mage. Tip of the cap to trainer Hidetaka Otonashi for having his horse so well prepared after such a prolonged layoff.