Typically, when a thoroughbred receives 134 out of 219 total votes cast for Horse of the Year, besting the runner-up by nearly 100 votes, it’s the result of a convincing campaign that leaves little doubt as to who the best racehorse in the land was.

But a unique set of circumstances led to the coronation of Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile champ Cody’s Wish at Thursday’s Eclipse Awards ceremony in South Florida. Despite the horse’s large margin of victory over second-place finisher White Abarrio (who received 37 votes) and an undeniably heart-wrenching back story, a few brave souls took to social media to wonder if the right horse even won — or whether, at minimum, the vote should have been a lot closer.

I absolutely voted for White Abarrio. Cody's Wish being horse of the year is an absolute disgrace.

— Ed DeRosa (@EJXD2) January 26, 2024

Wrong

White Abarrio is real horse of the year

He smoked Cody one time they faced each other

Cody is the story so voters were swayed

Bad call

— Kevin McIntyre (@Kevin__McIntyre) January 26, 2024

White Abarrio should have received more than 37 votes. He won the Breeders Cup like the white streak of light that won the Fl Derby & held a decision over Cody’s Wish who has distance limitations. Vote was correct but should’ve been closer . Feelings & emotions count though.

— Patrick L. Reynolds (@_joemana) January 26, 2024

Back in December, US Bets scribe Matt Rybaltowski properly classified the Cody’s Wish-White Abarrio Horse of the Year duel as a match race before going on to articulate why he felt White Abarrio was the more deserving recipient. The pair split a pair of summer races in New York, with Cody’s Wish winning the Met Mile and White Abarrio turning the tables in a more decisive manner in the Whitney.

That loss at Saratoga would be the lone blemish on Cody’s Wish’s 2023 record, as he capped the season by narrowly defending his Dirt Mile championship at Santa Anita. Meanwhile, White Abarrio kept himself in the Horse of the Year conversation by winning the longer Classic with greater ease.

“Despite excelling at shorter distances, the performance by Cody’s Wish in the Whitney proved that he had trouble stretching out,” Rybaltowski wrote in a year-end piece. “Historically, the Eclipse Award has gone to the top horses in the Classic division, not sprinters. Even the likes of Ghostzapper and Forego showed versatility beyond seven furlongs. Mitole had a superlative year in 2019 when he won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, but he still finished second in balloting to Bricks and Mortar. Based on those factors, Cody’s Wish will be second on our ballot.”

Clearly, most voters saw things differently, and it’s easy to understand why.

A tale of two Codys

While a spectacular racehorse, much of Cody’s Wish’s appeal stemmed from the relationship he’d forged with a boy named Cody Dorman. The human Cody, for whom the horse was named, suffered from Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome, which prevented him from speaking and relegated him to a wheelchair.

After meeting in 2018 through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the two Codys formed a touching bond, with the boy attending several of the horse’s races. The day after witnessing Cody’s Wish’s win in the Dirt Mile at Santa Anita, Dorman passed away at the age of 17 during his flight home from California.

Dorman’s dad, Kelly, accepted the Horse of the Year Award on Thursday in Florida on behalf of Cody’s Wish’s barn. There reportedly wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

For a sport that’s taken its lumps over the years, it was a magical moment that spoke to the power of the horse-human connection. But whether the margin of victory — or victory itself — was warranted is rightfully being debated.

Photo: Horsephotos/Getty Images