
Cody's Wish
A Boy, a Racehorse, and a Fight for Life
Paul K. Halloran(Author)
Globe Pequot Press
Published on 5. May 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
208 pages
978-1-4930-9535-3 (ISBN)
Description
The heart-stirring true story of a champion racehorse, a courageous boy, and the wish that united them
Cody Dorman had already beaten the odds when, at age thirteen, he was introduced to a five-month-old Thoroughbred foal in 2018 through Make-A-Wish. Born with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome, Cody had undergone more than forty operations, including two open-heart surgeries before he was three. One doctor told his parents he wouldn’t live past his second birthday.
There was an instant connection between teenage Cody and the foal, one so impactful that the owners named the young racehorse Cody’s Wish. When Cody was severely depressed a few years later during the pandemic, another visit to see “his” horse snapped him out of it. Cody later traveled to racetracks around the country to watch Cody’s Wish run. Each time they met—in the paddock, on the backstretch, in the winner’s circle—the bond between the 1,100-pound racehorse and 70-pound boy was obvious. They would stare at each other, then the horse would walk toward Cody and put his head in his lap.
Cody saw Cody’s Wish win a Breeders’ Cup race at Keeneland in 2022 and was at Santa Anita in 2023 when the horse ended his career with a thrilling victory. The next day on the flight home, Cody fell asleep on his mother’s shoulder and did not wake up. While his death caused immeasurable sadness, those close to him were comforted by the fact that he was there for his horse right to the end.
This is a story of resilience, triumph, and love—of the inexplicable yet undeniable bond between a courageous boy and the champion racehorse he considered his best friend. And it is a story that is still ongoing, with a life-size monument at Kentucky Horse Park debuting in 2025 and the first crop of Cody's Wish foals heading to the yearling sales in 2026, to race as two-year-olds in 2027.
Cody Dorman had already beaten the odds when, at age thirteen, he was introduced to a five-month-old Thoroughbred foal in 2018 through Make-A-Wish. Born with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome, Cody had undergone more than forty operations, including two open-heart surgeries before he was three. One doctor told his parents he wouldn’t live past his second birthday.
There was an instant connection between teenage Cody and the foal, one so impactful that the owners named the young racehorse Cody’s Wish. When Cody was severely depressed a few years later during the pandemic, another visit to see “his” horse snapped him out of it. Cody later traveled to racetracks around the country to watch Cody’s Wish run. Each time they met—in the paddock, on the backstretch, in the winner’s circle—the bond between the 1,100-pound racehorse and 70-pound boy was obvious. They would stare at each other, then the horse would walk toward Cody and put his head in his lap.
Cody saw Cody’s Wish win a Breeders’ Cup race at Keeneland in 2022 and was at Santa Anita in 2023 when the horse ended his career with a thrilling victory. The next day on the flight home, Cody fell asleep on his mother’s shoulder and did not wake up. While his death caused immeasurable sadness, those close to him were comforted by the fact that he was there for his horse right to the end.
This is a story of resilience, triumph, and love—of the inexplicable yet undeniable bond between a courageous boy and the champion racehorse he considered his best friend. And it is a story that is still ongoing, with a life-size monument at Kentucky Horse Park debuting in 2025 and the first crop of Cody's Wish foals heading to the yearling sales in 2026, to race as two-year-olds in 2027.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Old Saybrook
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Illustrations
Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 12 mm
Weight
286 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4930-9535-3 (9781493095353)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Paul K. Halloran Jr. has covered horse racing since the mid-1980s. He is a regular contributor to The Saratoga Special, Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred, and ThisIsHorseRacing.com and co-host of HHH Racing podcast. In 2022, he was assigned to cover the Forego Stakes, where he first encountered Cody's story. He has followed the family's journey ever since. His piece “Fairytale” for the Saratoga Special earned an honorable mention in the 2022 Media Eclipse Awards. Halloran is a lifelong resident of Boston.
Content
Preface
Chapter 1: Fish Wish
Chapter 2: A Touch on the Shoulder
Chapter 3: “We’re not doing that”
Chapter 4: Open Heart, Take Two
Chapter 5: Call for a Pizza?
Chapter 6: Life with Cody
Chapter 7: Lifesaver
Chapter 8: New York Traffic
Chapter 9: Junior Achievement
Chapter 10: Winning Formula
Chapter 11: Saratoga Shocker
Chapter 12: Keeneland Reunion
Chapter 13: “That one’s for you, Cody”
Chapter 14: Unfinished Business
Chapter 15: California Dreamin’
Chapter 16: Hold All Tickets
Chapter 17: Going Home
Chapter 18: Celebration of Lives
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1: Fish Wish
Chapter 2: A Touch on the Shoulder
Chapter 3: “We’re not doing that”
Chapter 4: Open Heart, Take Two
Chapter 5: Call for a Pizza?
Chapter 6: Life with Cody
Chapter 7: Lifesaver
Chapter 8: New York Traffic
Chapter 9: Junior Achievement
Chapter 10: Winning Formula
Chapter 11: Saratoga Shocker
Chapter 12: Keeneland Reunion
Chapter 13: “That one’s for you, Cody”
Chapter 14: Unfinished Business
Chapter 15: California Dreamin’
Chapter 16: Hold All Tickets
Chapter 17: Going Home
Chapter 18: Celebration of Lives
Epilogue
Acknowledgments