In a BloodHorse interview the evening of the Kentucky Oaks (G1) draw, Godolphin USA director of bloodstock Michael Banahan paused for a moment to think of an adjective to describe Good Cheer before remembering the 3-year-old filly's accomplishments to date didn't need added definition: "She's undefeated."
Godolphin homebred Good Cheer will search for her biggest prize to date when she puts that perfect record on the line in the $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 2 at Churchill Downs. One year after Thorpedo Anna captured the Kentucky Oaks on her way to Horse of the Year honors, the race could showcase another superstar.
Of course, there's 13 other talented 3-year-old fillies looking to write their own stories in Friday's 1 1/8-mile test, but all eyes initially will focus on Good Cheer's efforts to extend her perfect record to seven races. Trainer Brad Cox said her demeanor helps her ahead of races.
"She's very steady; easy to be around, always listens to her rider," said Cox, who will look for his third Kentucky Oaks score after winning with Shedaresthedevil in 2020 and Monomoy Girl in 2018. "She's 6-for-6 at this point and hopefully we can continue that."
Good Cheer, the 6-5 morning-line favorite, will try to become the first undefeated filly to win the Kentucky Oaks since 2021, when Shadwell Stable's Malathaat secured her fifth win in as many starts.
"She's really doing well and has put herself in a great position," Cox said. "I'm excited about getting her an opportunity in a grade 1 race because I think she's that type of horse."
Good Cheer prepped this winter and spring at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, where she won the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) and Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) by a combined 9 3/4 lengths. For good measure, she's a three-time winner on the Churchill dirt.
As a daughter of Medaglia d'Oro —Wedding Toast, by Street Sense , Good Cheer is Godolphin through and through. Medaglia d'Oro and Street Sense both stand at Darley America and Wedding Toast captured a pair of grade 1 races for Sheikh Mohammed's operation. Godolphin homebred Pretty Mischievous won the Kentucky Oaks two years ago.
Luis Saez, who has been aboard for Good Cheer's past five races, will have the mount Friday. Saez won the 2022 Kentucky Oaks with Secret Oath.
While in her nine career starts La Cara has some blemishes, the Tracy Farmer homebred daughter of Street Sense—Cara Caterina, by Bernardini, will enter Friday's race with some momentum. La Cara secured her second stakes win in her past three starts with a front-running score in the Ashland Stakes (G1) April 7 at Keeneland.
She earned the bullet April 22 at Churchill when she breezed a half-mile in :46 and her quick morning gallops at the Louisville, Ky., track have caught the attention of many.
"She's just on her game," said Racing Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, who will aim for his first Kentucky Oaks win. "You'd have a tough time seeing the horses going any better than she is right now."
While La Cara won from off the pace in the Pocahontas Stakes (G3) Sept. 14 at Churchill, her other three victories have come on the front end. Casse has made no secret about the strategy under Dylan Davis for Friday's race.
"I know there's a fair amount of speed that's going to be in the Oaks, but I've already talked to Dylan about it," Casse said. "We're going to take no prisoners. She's going to come away from there running. And if somebody wants to try to keep up, they can."
With nine career starts, La Cara boasts the most experience of any filly in the field.
"That's the way I like to do it, if we can. Not every horse can do that," Casse said.
While the connections of La Cara plan to send her to the lead, they figure to be tracked by Quietside, who will break from the outside post. Shortleaf Stable homebred Quietside enters off a pair of graded stakes wins at Oaklawn Park where she tracked from second in each race under Jose Ortiz, who is scheduled to ride Friday.
Trained by John Ortiz, Quietside, from the final crop of Malibu Moon, won the Honeybee Stakes (G3) Feb. 23 and then the Fantasy Stakes (G2) March 29.
The Oaks field also will feature Ballerina d'Oro, another daughter of Medaglia d'Oro. She enters off a narrow win in the Gazelle Stakes (G3) April 5 at Aqueduct Racetrack | BloodHorse.com Track Profile">Aqueduct Racetrack. While Ballerina d'Oro has shipped in from New York, Baoma Corporation's Tenma has made the trip from Southern California off three straight graded stakes wins at Santa Anita Park for trainer Bob Baffert.
Gatsas Stables homebred Five G, another runner with early speed, will try the Kentucky Oaks off a front-end score in the March 29 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) for trainer George Weaver.
The trainer-jockey connections behind Thorpedo Anna will look for a second straight Kentucky Oaks victory as conditioner Kenny McPeek and rider Brian Hernandez Jr. are back with Take Charge Milady, the Ashland runner-up.
Grantley Acres, Ryan Conner, Berkels0813, and CMNWLTH's Simply Joking enters Friday's test off a runner-up finish to Quietside in the Fantasy for trainer Whit Beckman. The daughter of Practical Joke won a pair of stakes at Fair Grounds before that effort.
Good Cheer isn't the only undefeated filly in the Kentucky Oaks as lightly raced Fondly enters off a win in the Virginia Oaks in her second career start for Elcipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables. She is trained by Graham Motion.
Churchill Downs, Friday, May 2, 2025, Race 11Entries: Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Early On (NY) Edgard J. Zayas 121 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. 30/1 2 2Simply Joking (PA) Florent Geroux 121 D. Whitworth Beckman 10/1 3 3Fondly (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 121 H. Graham Motion 20/1 4 4Drexel Hill (KY) Ben Curtis 121 D. Whitworth Beckman 30/1 5 5Quickick (KY) Umberto Rispoli 121 Thomas M. Amoss 30/1 6 6Ballerina d'Oro (KY) Flavien Prat 121 Chad C. Brown 10/1 7 7La Cara (KY) Dylan Davis 121 Mark E. Casse 6/1 8 8Five G (NY) Manuel Franco 121 George Weaver 12/1 9 9Tenma (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 121 Bob Baffert 12/1 10 10Take Charge Milady (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 121 Kenneth G. McPeek 12/1 11 11Good Cheer (KY) Luis Saez 121 Brad H. Cox 6/5 12 12Anna's Promise (KY) Junior Alvarado 121 Carlos A. David 30/1 13 13Bless the Broken (KY) John R. Velazquez 121 William Walden 30/1 14 14Quietside (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 121 John Alexander Ortiz 8/1
