Just Wish, and Watch where it goes...

​For the last couple of years, I've followed the racing career of a horse named Cody's Wish. Mainly to follow the wish a horse granted a young boy well beyond where the wish began.

In 2018, when a colt was still a foal, and without a name, a young boy born with a rare genetic disease visited the farm where the colt lived. It was part of a trip to grant a dying boy his Make-A-Wish wish.

The young boy, Cody Gorman, sat in a wheelchair admiring the horse. The horse approached and gently put his head in the boy's lap. That touching moment led the owners to name their horse:

Cody's Wish.

I watched last year, 4 years removed from the original wish, when Cody's Wish won the biggest race of his career, the Breeder's Cup Mile. There in the winner's circle, waiting on him, in his wheelchair, was Cody Gorman.

I remember being in tears. The horse and Cody and the owner's family and Cody's family - they had all become one BIG family. And there they were, celebrating together.

I remember wondering, does anyone feel the beauty of a wish grown well beyond the depth of the original wish a boy had to visit a horse farm?

I remember wondering, is it wishes that give birth to miracles?

And I watched again Saturday. Cody's Wish well behind in the prestigious race he'd won just a year ago. Here he comes, flying, and he's engaged race leader National Treasure down the stretch.

The horses bump repeatedly the last several yards of the race. Two fighters trying to push the other out of the way on the way to victory.

Cody's Wish jockey, Junior Alvarado, said he never had a doubt who was going to win that fight.

I had the meanest horse, he said. My horse is full of fight.

A friend who owns horses once told me that horses can feel human emotion. I believe that. I have no doubt it was Cody Gorman's fight that won out down the stretch.

It was Cody Gorman's urging, sitting once again near the winner's circle, that meant as much to back to back Breeder's Cup wins as the jockey's urging.

Maybe more.

That big victory was Cody's Wish's last race. The owners had announced before the Breeder's Cup Mile that this would be their horse's last hurrah.

What a way to end a career. It's like Peyton Manning going out with a Super Bowl victory.

What no one knew, though, was it was Cody Gorman's last hurrah as well. Cody died on the plane trip home from the race Sunday.

I heard that news yesterday and my heart dropped.

How does life align in such tragically beautiful ways sometimes? I believe I know.

I think part of it is wishing. We have no idea where the wishes we wish might go. Life is about wishing and believing in beautiful destinations.

I thought about Cody's Wish last night. Everyone knows the family is grieving, but I do believe the horse knows.

Horses can feel human emotions. So I believe as much as anyone that horse grieves the passing of Cody Gorman.

I think if Cody's Wish had a wish, it would be one more race. Come out of retirement, cross the finish line, glance over and see his friend in his wheelchair in the winner's circle.

I think Cody's Wish would prance over, mean and full of fight, and lay his head gently in Cody's lap, and say - we did good kid.

Man, did we make some wishes come true.....

Rest in peace Cody Gorman. Thanks for reminding us all about the power and beauty found in wishing.

And carry on Cody's Wish. Thank you for doing what we could all do just a little better, tending well to one another's wishes.