Keeneland Library will host Paul Halloran in discussion of Cody’s Wish: A Boy, a Racehorse, and a Fight for Life. 

About the Book 

Cody Dorman had already beaten the odds when he was introduced to a five-month-old foal in 2018 through Make-A-Wish. Born with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome, he underwent more than 40 operations, including two open-heart surgeries before he was 3.

There was an instant connection between Cody and the young horse, so impactful that Godolphin, at the suggestion of longtime employee Mary Bourne, named him Cody’s Wish. When Cody was severely depressed during the pandemic, a visit to see “his” horse snapped him out of it.

Cody 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 when the horse ended his career with a thrilling victory in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup.

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.

About the Author

Paul Halloran is a 40-year journalist from Boston. He first came upon the Cody’s Wish story when covering the 2022 Forego Stakes at Saratoga, with his coverage earning him Honorable Mention Media Eclipse Award recognition. Paul approached Kelly and Leslie Dorman with the idea for a book about Cody and his bond with the champion racehorse named for him in 2023.