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Cody Dorman dies day after colt named after him won Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile
Eighteen-year-old, who was at Santa Anita Park on Saturday to watch the colt whose name he inspired, died on his way home to Kentucky
Cody Dorman, the boy with a rare genetic disorder who became an inspiration to millions in America, has died a day after seeing the colt named after him win the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita.
Dorman, 18, who was born with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome which left him wheelchair bound and only able to communicate via a tablet, was in the winner’s circle on Saturday when, in his last race before retiring to stud, Cody’s Wish beat National Treasure a nose on Saturday.
The story of how Dorman was taken to Sheikh Mohammed’s Gainsborough Stud in 2018 on a Make A Wish outing and a six-month-old foal came over and stuck his head in Dorman’s lap is the stuff of Hollywood. The young colt was named by Godolphin after the boy and went on to win 11 of his 16 starts.
The horse had been credited by Dorman’s father with keeping his son alive. However, Dorman died on his way back to Kentucky.
A statement put out by his parents, Kelly and Leslie, said: “Cody watched his best friend display his usual perseverance and toughness to win a second Breeders’ Cup. Those are the same characteristics that Cody has shown time and time again during the 18 years we were blessed to have him.
“We have been completely amazed to experience the impact that Cody has had on so many people, through the journey that wondrous racehorse has taken us all on. From Churchill Downs to Keeneland to Saratoga to Santa Anita this weekend, we could not move 20 feet without someone stopping to tell us that.
“With Cody’s diagnosis at birth we always knew this day would come but we were determined to help Cody for however long we had him.”