Good Cheer Aims to Stay Perfect in the Acorn Stakes

The Godolphin filly, winner of the GI Kentucky Oaks, will chase her second Grade I victory this Friday at Saratoga

Good Cheer looms large as the marquee name in the GI Acorn Stakes / CHURCHILL DOWNS

SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York (Special for Turf Diario).- Undefeated Good Cheer (Medaglia d’Oro), fresh off her resounding win in the GI Kentucky Oaks, will look to keep her flawless record intact on Friday when she headlines a field of seven sophomore fillies in the GI Acorn Stakes at Saratoga. The $500,000 race, run at 1 1/8 miles, is part of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, being held at Saratoga this season due to construction at Belmont Park.

The Acorn, carded as race 11, is one of six stakes on the Friday program, which includes three additional Grade I events: the New York Stakes, the Just a Game, and the Ogden Phipps, a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar.

Trained by two-time Eclipse Award winner Brad Cox, Good Cheer is unbeaten in seven starts. The Godolphin homebred has continued to impress following her Oaks performance, according to Michael Banahan, director of bloodstock for the operation: “She came out of the Kentucky Oaks in great shape and has trained exceptionally well into the Acorn. She’s a very special filly, and we’re enjoying the ride. Of course, the longer the streak goes, the more pressure there is to keep it going.”

In the Oaks on May 2 at Churchill Downs, Good Cheer delivered a powerful performance over a sealed, sloppy track, rallying from eighth after a half in :46.78 and charging five wide under Luis Saez to score by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:50.15. It marked her first Grade I win.

“It wasn’t the easiest draw from post 10,” Banahan added. “Luis did the right thing keeping her wide and out of trouble. She was further back than usual, but she’s so versatile and he knows her so well. Wherever she is in a race, she’s usually in the right spot.”

The Kentucky Oaks capped a historic weekend for Godolphin, which also won the Kentucky Derby (G1) the following day with Sovereignty (Into Mischief), who now targets the GI Belmont Stakes on June 7.

“It was a truly special weekend,” said Banahan. “It had been more than 70 years since a single owner won both the Oaks and the Derby. That tells you how hard it is to pull off. And having it happen at our home track meant so many of our farm people could be there. It’s something hard to replicate.”

Prior to the Oaks, Good Cheer was dominant at Fair Grounds, winning both the GII Rachel Alexandra and the GII Fair Grounds Oaks. Her resume also includes a 17-length allowance romp and two juvenile wins at Churchill, including the Rags to Riches S. and GII Golden Rod S.. She is the first foal out of Wedding Toast (Street Sense), a multiple graded stakes winner who also produced stakes-placed Ya Hayati.

“She keeps improving every time she runs,” Banahan continued. “As a 2-year-old, she progressed step by step—from allowance to listed company and then to a Grade II. She’s incredibly straightforward, very professional, and a pleasure to train.”

Luis Saez, who has ridden her in her last six victories, retains the mount and will break from post 2 as Godolphin aims for a third Acorn victory in four years, following Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile, 2022) and Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief, 2023).

Among her key challengers is Look Forward (Bolt d’Oro), trained by Michael McCarthy for Reddam Racing, who exits a 1 1/4-length score in the GII Eight Belles S. on May 2 at Churchill. Though effective around one turn, she’s yet to prove herself routing, finishing second in the Santa Ynez (L) and off the board in the Honeybee (G3) and Ashland (G1).

“She’s doing well,” McCarthy said. “The mile and an eighth is a question mark, but she’ll likely be near the pace or on the lead. She likes to mix it up.”

Also returning from the Kentucky Oaks is La Cara (Classic Empire), owned by Tracy Farmer and trained by Mark Casse, who tired to ninth after setting the pace. Previously, she wired the GI Ashland S. at Keeneland.

“She’s not one to back down from pressure,” said Casse. “She likes to be forward, and we know she’s capable of bouncing back. I still think she’s got more to give—just like Sandman (Tapit) did after the Derby.”