Only briefly giving her backers worry, Good Cheer (f, 3, Medgalia d'Oro–Wedding Toast, by Street Sense) rolled home the easiest of winners in the GII Rachel Alexandra Stakes and claimed 25 points toward the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.
On a four-race win streak which started last August in her debut at Horseshoe Indianapolis, the Godolphin homebred followed that effort up with a 17-length victory against allowance runners at Churchill Downs and never slowed down from there. Claiming the Listed Rags to Riches Stakes Oct. 27 and the GII Golden Rod Stakes Nov. 30 to wrap her 2024 season, she picked up her march to the lilies with a facile victory here.
A mortal lock at the windows at 1-9 favoritism against a short field in her seasonal bow, she watched the pace unfold from near the rear of the field as Gowells Delight (Practical Joke) set the tempo through :24.30 and a half in :48.35. Always traveling well as they went up the backstretch and through the far turn, she was the looming danger as the field neared the top of the lane.
Needing racing room as Bless the Broken (Laoban) took the route to her outside for a rally, Good Cheer had to take an inland path and scraped paint as she muscled her way into contention passing the furlong marker. From there, it was how much she wanted to win by and the final margin was 6 1/4 lengths to remain perfect. The longtime leader Gowells Delight hung on for second while Bless the Broken picked up third in a photo with Aledean (Game Winner).
“We're very proud of her effort to comeback like this as a 3-year-old,” said trainer Brad Cox. “Her record speaks for itself. She always shows up and runs a top effort. Today was no different. It was a short field but she still showed up to run her race. We're very proud of her and very excited about her moving forward on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.”
Good Cheer is too good! With nowhere to go at the top of the stretch, she muscles herself through to romp in the G2 Rachel Alexandra! 🏆@luissaezpty was aboard for trainer @bradcoxracing and @godolphin.
🎥 TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/d9aLWL7Cgz
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) February 16, 2025
Pedigree Note:
Out of a multiple Grade I-winning mare, Good Cheer is the half-sister to UAE Listed winner Ya Hayati (Dubawi {Ire}) as well as a seven-time winner named Words of Wisdom (Tapit). Wedding Toast most recently claims a yearling full-sister to the victress, and is due to Into Mischief in 2025.
The dam hails from the female family of MGISW Congaree (Arazi) and SW & GISP Sangaree (Awesome Again). Austrian champion 3-year-old Rubico (Big Spruce) also hails from the line.
Saturday, Fair Grounds
FASIG-TIPTON RACHEL ALEXANDRA S.-GII, $282,000, Fair Grounds, 2-15, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:44.12, 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. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 5-5-0-0, $637,630. *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–Gowells Delight, 122, f, 3, Practical Joke–Hello Charlie, by Indian Charlie. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($150,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-Fern Circle Stables; B-Tim Thornton & Gray Lang (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $60,000.
3–Bless the Broken, 122, f, 3, Laoban–The Nightingale, by Tapit. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Cypress Creek Equine, LLC (KY); T-William Walden. $30,000.
Margins: 6 1/4, 1HF, NK. Odds: 0.05, 6.10, 11.10.
Also Ran: Aledean. Scratched: Anonima, Ballerina d'Oro, Simply Joking.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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