Good Cheer Stays Perfect; Cruises to Victory in Longines Kentucky Oaks

May 02, 2025 Kevin Kerstein

Godolphin’s homebred Good Cheer remained undefeated in seven starts by posting an emphatic 2 1/4-length victory in the 151st running of the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) for 3-year-old fillies Friday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Luis Saez, Good Cheer completed the mile and an eighth over a sloppy track in 1:50.15. It is the third Oaks victory for Cox, the second for Saez and the second for a Godolphin homebred.

Cox’s previous victories came with Shedaresthedevil in 2020 and Monomoy Girl in 2018. Saez won with Secret Oath in 2022 and Godolphin won a year later with Pretty Mischievous.

La Cara shot to the front and set the pace unopposed through fractions of :22.58, :46.78 and 1:11.36 with Tenma and Anna’s Promise in closest pursuit with Good Cheer racing in the clear in mid-pack.

On the far turn, Quietside made a move at the top three with Good Cheer moving right behind her and then swinging five wide into the stretch where she took over at the three-sixteenths pole and drew off.

Good Cheer, who has posted four of her seven victories at Churchill Downs including a 17-length allowance score in the slop last September, is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Medaglia d’Oro out of the Street Sense mare Wedding Toast.

The victory was worth $855,600 and increased her earnings to $1,733,230.

Favored in the field of 13, Good Cheer rewarded her backers with mutuels of $4.78, $3.62 and $3.02. Drexel Hill, ridden by Ben Curtis, returned $21.02 and $11.76 and finished 1 ¼ lengths in front of Bless the Broken, who paid $7.48 to show under John Velazquez.

It was another 3 ¼ lengths back to Tenma with Anna’s Promise, Quietside, Quickick, Early On, La Cara, Ballerina d’Oro, Fondly, Take Charge Milady and Simply Joking following in order.

LONGINES KENTUCKY OAKS QUOTES

Luis Saez (Jockey, Good Cheer, Winner) – “She’s an incredible filly. We were so confident with her coming into the race and keeps getting more special. She brings it every time. She went a little wide but she was traveling so well I just let her do her thing.”

Brad Cox (Trainer, Good Cheer, Winner) – “We thought the further the better. Last fall we had Immersive and we thought she was our Kentucky Oaks filly and we thought (Good Cheer) could be our Alabama filly. Every race she continued to pick up. She loves Churchill, she can run on anything. I’m not certain what her ceiling is. Obvious all the Grade Is will be in play this summer and hopefully get her to the Breeders’ Cup.

Michael Banahan (Director of Bloodstock for Godolphin) — She’s such a nice filly. So proud of all the guys back on the farm. Brad and his team have done such an outstanding job with her. To keep her at this level is fantastic. Luis has ridden her perfectly every time she’s run. We’re so fortunate that Godolphin’s founder, Sheikh Mohammad, has given us the foundation to have a strong broodmare band to have horses like this.”

Ben Curtis (Jockey, Drexel Hill, Second) – “No one wants to finish second. I was worried on this track after the rain and we’d struggle early and be a little far back. I let her find her feet. I had a lovely trip after that. I can’t complain about the trip. I was hoping we’d be a little closer early than we were.”

Whit Beckman (Trainer, Drexel Hill, Second) – “She came out flat-footed. But once she got going, she did some good. Tough to ask a filly like this with as little experience as she has, and on a track like this, to do any good. But all things considered, she ran great and I am very proud of her.

John Velazquez (Jockey, Bless the Broken, Third) – “She ran very well. I followed the winner all the way around. She pushed me out on the first turn and then I drafted inside of her. At the quarter pole, I guided her outside and then she ran on for a good third.”

Will Walden (Trainer, Bless the Broken, Third) – “I thought she ran great. We got pushed a little wide going into the first time but then Johnny (Velazquez) did good and saved ground from there. She seemed to handle that wet track really well and that is encouraging. We got beaten by a tremendous filly and there is no shame in that. We really liked her race.”

Juan Hernandez (Jockey, Tenma, Fourth) – “She was trying to take off on the backside but then she relaxed. She then took a breather, relaxed for a bit and was traveling well. I was just waiting for the quarter pole and then when I made my run, she was excited for a little bit. I was in front for a little bit but she gave me everything she had. Bob (Baffert) thought she would run well today. Next time, she will run better than today.”

Bob Baffert (Trainer, Tenma, Fourth) – “I thought she ran well. This was her first away game and the first time she was ever on an off track. She was in the right spot but that pace was a little too quick. Overall, I am very pleased with her.”

Junior Alvarado (Jockey, Anna’s Promise, Fifth) – “She ran terrific. She broke sharper than I was expecting and then I laid in third. We had a great trip, saved ground and hung on for fifth. It was a hell of a tough race.”

Jose Ortiz (Jockey, Quietside, Sixth) – “We didn’t want to get involved in that speed duel early. So we were planning on sitting off. We just went out there and the winner followed me every step of the way. The winner is an amazing filly. My horse tried.”

Edgard Zayas (Jockey, Early On, Eighth) – “She broke sharp but we were a little too far behind. It’s a tough race with some of the best fillies in the country.”

Dylan Davis (Jockey, La Cara, Ninth) – “She broke sharp and I was able to get to the lead like I wanted to. We got more pressure than I thought we’d get. She started pulling away a little bit in the turn but ended up getting tired late.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. (Jockey, Fondly, 11th) — “I am proud of her. She only had two starts and the track is not in the best condition right now. She tried, had a good trip but she just got beat. I’m proud of her. I am looking forward to seeing her next start.”

Graham Motion (Trainer, Fondly, 11th) – “The rider told me she was coming back on at the end. But it’s an awful lot to ask for a lightly raced filly, especially on this kind of surface to do any good. I am proud of her.”

Brian Hernandez Jr. (Jockey, Take Charge Milady, 12th) — “You can tell my looking at me that it wasn’t too fun out there. We were back there and our filly never picked up her feet today. She never went forward at any point.”