Six starts. Six wins. Godolphin homebred Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) stamped herself as a force to be reckoned with in Louisville on the first Friday in May with yet another impressive win, this time in Saturday's GII Fair Grounds Oaks. Already a winner over the track and distance in February's GII Rachel Alexandra Stakes, the 2-5 favorite picked up her fourth straight win over the 1 1/16-mile distance.
Breaking with the speed from the outside, Good Cher assumed a good stalking just off the pace as Ahavah (City of Light) led narrowly over Her Laugh (Practical Joke) up the backstretch. That pair, with the favorite pressuring to their outside, tossed up opening fractions of :23.91 and :47.81 and still raced one-two into the far turn. But Good Cheer was more than up to the task when prompted off the bend for an effort and shook away handily, opening up on Ahavah who did well to hang onto second as Good Cheer drifted down to the rail in the later stages but was well in front to keep her perfect streak in tact.
“This is a very good filly and we're really proud of her,” said winning trainer Brad Cox. “She had to work hard to finish up but she finished very well. She's not massive, but we've got two races in her as a 3-year-old and we have six weeks between now and the Kentucky Oaks to get her ready.”
“She's pretty special,” added winning rider Luis Saez. “She reminds me of Secret Oath when I first got up on her. She's very kind and does everything perfect. At the top of the stretch she gave me a big turn of foot. That's a crazy filly.”
Pedigree Note:
One of 184 stakes winners for her illustrious sire, Good Cheer is fourth foal out of MGISW Wedding Toast who has produced three winners including Good Cheer's stakes-winning half-brother Ya Hayati (Dubawi {Ire}). This is the family of MGISW Congaree (Arazi) and SW/GISP Sangaree (Awesome Again). Barren to Essential Quality in 2023, Wedding Toast produced a full-sister to Good Cheer last year but was barren again, this time to Into Mischief, for 2025.
“It is Good Cheer! All class, all wins!”
6 for 6 pic.twitter.com/9ivXG331Ow
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) March 22, 2025
Saturday, Fair Grounds
FASIG-TIPTON FAIR GROUNDS OAKS-GII, $396,000, Fair Grounds, 3-22, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:43.44, ft.
1–GOOD CHEER, 122, f, 3, by Medaglia d'Oro
1st Dam: Wedding Toast (MGISW, $1,419,956),
by Street Sense
2nd Dam: Golden Sheba, by Coronado's Quest
3rd Dam: Mari's Sheba, by Mari's Book
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Luis Saez. $240,000.
Lifetime Record: 6-6-0-0, $877,630. *1/2 to Ya Hayati (Dubawi
{Ire}), SW-UAE, $246,924. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple
Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Ahavah, 122, f, 3, City of Light–Holiday Soiree, by Harlan's
Holiday. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($400,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-Twin Brook Stables, Glassman
Racing LLC, Belladonna Racing LLC, Woodford Racing LLC,
B.C.W.T. Ltd. and Taylor Creek; B-Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds,
LLC (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux. $80,000.
3–Gowells Delight, 122, f, 3, Practical Joke–Hello Charlie,
by Indian Charlie. ($150,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-Fern Circle
Stables; B-Tim Thornton & Gray Lang (KY); T-Kenneth G.
McPeek. $40,000.
Margins: 3HF, 1 1/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 0.40, 6.30, 21.40.
Also Ran: Quickick, Her Laugh, Jenkin, Secret Faith, Girl Math. Scratched: Bless the Broken.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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