05/02/25 06:05:00
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05/02 18:03 CDT Filly Good Cheer stays unbeaten, rallying in the mud to win
151st Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs
Filly Good Cheer stays unbeaten, rallying in the mud to win 151st Kentucky Oaks
at Churchill Downs
By GARY B. GRAVES
Associated Press
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) --- Unbeaten filly Good Cheer rallied on the outside
through the slop to overtake Tenma by the final furlong and win the 151st
Kentucky Oaks on Friday at Churchill Downs.
Louisville-born trainer Brad Cox watched the heavy 6-5 favorite cover 1 1/8
miles in 1:50.15 with Luis Saez aboard. Good Cheer paid $4.78, $3.62 and $3.02
for her seventh dominant victory.
The bay daughter of Megdalia d'Oro and Wedding Toast by Street entered the Oaks
with a combined victory margin of more than 42 lengths, and on Friday, she
added more distance to her resume with a stunning surge over a mushy track.
Cox, who grew up blocks from Churchill Downs, earned his third Oaks win and
Saez his second.
Drexel Hill paid $21.02 and $11.76 for second while Bless the Broken was third
and returned $4.78.
A thunderstorm that roared through about two hours before the scheduled post
left the track soggy and sent many of the 100,910 fans seeking shelter at the
track's urging. The $1.5 million showcase for 3-year-old fillies was delayed by
10 minutes, and the conditions proved to be a minor nuisance for Good Cheer.
She was off the pace after starting from the No. 11 post but well within range
of the leaders before charging forward through the final turns. Good Cheer was
fourth entering the stretch and closed inside and into the lead, pulling away
for her fourth win at Churchill Downs and second in the mud.
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AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing
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