Although Kentucky Derby (G1) morning was cool and rainy May 3, the dreary weather couldn't dampen the spirits in trainer Brad Cox's barn the day after Good Cheer's dominating victory in the Kentucky Oaks (G1).
"It was an exciting day," Cox said. "She shows up every time, and all she does is keep winning."
Cox reported that Good Cheer, who improved to 7-for-7 Friday, exited her Oaks win in fine order.
"She's doing great. She looked very good this morning, trotted sound up the road, scoped fine last night," Cox said.
With her 2 1/4-length score over the slop, Good Cheer gave Cox his third winner in the $1.5 million Oaks following Monomoy Girl in 2018 and Shedaresthedevil in 2020.
"I'm not going to rank these Oaks fillies (I've trained), they are all pretty good in their own right, but she is probably the easiest one I've had (to train)," Cox said. "She's so easy to be around, easy on herself. She relaxes, she's cool going around there galloping, never wants to work super fast, just super classy."
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Good Cheer, a 3-year-old daughter of Darley's prolific stallion Medaglia d'Oro , also became the second Oaks winner in three years for her owner/breeder, Godolphin. The Brendan Walsh-trained Pretty Mischievous scored for Godolphin in 2023.
Cox indicated that the June 6 Acorn Stakes (G1) at 1 1/8 miles would be under consideration for Good Cheer. The race during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival is at Saratoga Race Course for the second year in a row due to the ongoing reconstruction at Belmont Park.
"I would say right now with the way she looked, (the Acorn is) in play," Cox said. "It's right at five weeks."
Godolphin USA's director of bloodstock, Michael Banahan, said the stable's star filly would likely compete against her own sex for the rest of the year.
As her record remains perfect, the target on her back will continue to grow. However, Cox said that the pressure of campaigning an unbeaten filly may have actually lessened with the Oaks win as the filly is now a top-level stakes winner, and in the most prestigious race for 3-year-old fillies.
"Right now, I'm going to say no, I don't feel any pressure with her," Cox said. "She's now a grade 1 winner, I think that was a big hurdle to get over. With all she accomplished before yesterday, it would've been a shame to have the career she's had and not win a grade 1. To take that off the table I think took a lot of pressure off."
There was no pressure from the wagering public on Drexel Hill, who sprang from the gate as a 32-1 longshot. Her last-to-second effort may have surprised the public but not so her connections, who had sent her to New York to race in the March 1 Busher Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack specifically to qualify for the Kentucky Oaks.
"She made one of the most gutsy efforts I could have ever imagined for her," trainer Whit Beckman said. "Came up a little short but still such a good effort and got beat by a very talented filly."
Beckman has big plans for Legion Racing's Bolt d'Oro filly. No immediate targets have been decided, but this summer's Coaching Club American Oaks Invitational Stakes (G1) July 19 and Alabama Stakes (G1) Aug. 16 at Saratoga are long-term goals.
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