Ky. Oaks prep: Good Cheer is 4-for-4 entering Rachel Alexandra
Photo:
Candice Chavez / Eclipse Sportswire
Dominant in her four winning runs as a juvenile, Godolphin’s
Grade 2 victor Good Cheer was tabbed as the 6-5 morning-line favorite for
the 45th running of the Grade 2, $300,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair
Grounds.
Slated as the 13th of Saturday’s 14 races, the 1 1/16-mile Rachel
Alexandra attracted a field of seven 3-year-old fillies. It is the first Kentucky Oaks (G1) prep on the calendar to award 50-25-15-10-5 points to the top five finishers.
Click here for Fair Grounds entries and results.
Good Cheer proved untouchable as a 2-year-old, winning
her four freshman starts by a combined 32 1/4 lengths. Taking the Golden
Rod (G2) by 2 1/2 lengths and the Rags to Riches by 4 3/4 during the fall at
Churchill Downs, the Brad Cox-trained filly racked up 20 Oaks points and sits
tied for fourth on the leaderboard.
Perfect in three starts at the Rachel Alexandra distance,
the Medaglia d’Oro filly has been training in Florida at Payson Park in
preparation for her sophomore debut. Luis Sáez returns to the saddle and will
guide Good Cheer from post 2.
Beginning with Monomoy Girl in 2018, Cox has won the Rachel
Alexandra three times including last year with Tarifa.
Looking to continue his sweep of the local Oaks preps,
trainer Whit Beckman entered Silverbulletday winner Simply Joking in Saturday’s
Rachel Alexandra. Both starts for Grantley Acres, Ryan Conner and Berkels0813’s
Simply Joking have been in local stakes. She proved her heart to overcome
trouble and win on debut in the Letellier Memorial and backed that up with an
impressive gate-to-wire victory in the Silverbulletday. The Practical Joke
filly also boasts 20 qualifying points. Beckman will give a leg up to Jaime
Torres, who will guide the likely front-runner from post 6.
Second to Muhimma last out in the Demoiselle (G2), Rodeo
Creek Racing’s Ballerina d’Oro proved she can kick late on the dirt as well as
she had accomplished on the turf. After breaking her maiden going one mile at
Kentucky Downs, the Chad Brown trainee ran a troubled eighth in the Jessamine
(G2) at Keeneland, less than a half-length from finishing fourth. Donning
blinkers for the second time, the Medaglia d’Oro filly drew post 3 and will be
guided by Flavien Prat, recently named the 2024 Eclipse Award champion jockey.
Trainer Kenny McPeek entered both Magdalena Racing and Steve
Crabtree’s Anonima and Fern Circle Stables’ Gowells Delight in the Rachel
Alexandra. Attracting the services of Irad Ortiz Jr. on Saturday, Anonima has
won her last two, including a local allowance where she proved two lengths best
over the Cox-trainee California Sunset. Gowells Delight followed her dazzling
debut win with a fourth-place finish in the Martha Washington to earn four qualifying
points.
| Post | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last start / Next start | Morn. line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Anonima Sharp Azteca |
0.00 | 6-1 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 2 |
|
Good Cheer Medaglia d’Oro |
7.37 | 6-5 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 3 |
|
Ballerina d’Oro Medaglia d’Oro |
6.34 | 7-2 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 4 |
|
Gowells Delight Practical Joke |
0.00 | 12-1 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 5 |
|
Aledean Game Winner |
6.12 | 15-1 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 6 |
|
Simply Joking Practical Joke |
6.47 | Whit Beckman | 4-1 | |
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 7 |
|
Bless the Broken Laoban |
5.87 | 12-1 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
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