How to bet With, and Against, Cody's Wish in the 2023 Met Mile

A top field of nine will vie in Saturday’s ever-important $1 million Metropolitan H. (G1) at Belmont Park. The one-turn contest is always among the most marquee events contested in the spring, and this edition boasts numerous high-class performers in what promises to be a thrilling race.

Bill Mott’s #1 Cody’s Wish (7-5) is a neck shy from having posted nine wins in succession in advance of this tilt. The fantastic son of Curlin capped his superb 2022 campaign with a game tally in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), and he commenced this season with a visually impressive score in the Churchill Downs S. (G1) on the Kentucky Derby undercard.

Cody’s Wish, who is among the most inspirational stories in recent racing memory, has been training like a horse who is still peaking, with a trio of rapid bullet drills on the Oklahoma at Saratoga as of late. The Godolphin homebred is a sterling 6-for-6 at the one-mile distance, and his electric turn of foot will be difficult to fend off if he runs something close to his best. The rail post is a minor concern, but the five-year-old is still the clear one to beat with regular pilot Junior Alvarado up.

Four additional Grade 1 winners will contest the rich event, including the fleet #3 Dr. Schivel (10-1) for conditioner Mark Glatt. The five-year-old son of Violence will ship in from the Golden State for his second run off the layoff while making just a third appearance since December 2021. Second by a nose in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), the Kentucky-bred looked the part in a facile allowance win at Santa Anita in his seasonal bow and will be the one to catch in the race. The dual Grade 1 king has won at the top level at seven furlongs in the past and should get the mile, and he will be tough to run down if he establishes a clear edge early on with Irad Ortiz Jr. taking the reins.

Todd Pletcher’s #5 Charge It (6-1) has been a hard one to rely on in his career, but when the son of Tapit is right, he can be sensational. The gray four-year-old has burned a lot of money as the favorite in his last pair of encounters, but he was a ridiculous 23-length winner in his lone previous run at Belmont Park, and I also feel that he will appreciate the cutback in distance to one-turn racing on this occasion. The Whisper Hill homebred has fine tactical foot and will be well-placed near the lead at the top of the stretch on Saturday. John Velazquez riding the colt adds to his appeal.

Cody’s Wish – With

• $4 trifecta: 1 with 3,5 with all ($56)

Cody’s Wish – Against

• $1 trifecta: 3,5 with 1,2,3,5,6 with all ($56)