Good Cheer Puts Perfect Record On the Line in Grade Two $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks

By Kevin Kilroy —-

Good Cheer Puts Perfect Record On the Line in Grade Two $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks

2/15/2025 – Good Cheer with Luis Saez aboard wins the 45th runningof the Grade II $300,000 Rachel Alexandra Stabkes at Fair Grounds. Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.

New Orleans, La (March 15, 2025) – Unblemished in five starts, Godolphin’s Good Cheer will put her perfect record on the line in Saturday’s $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. A field of nine 3-year-old fillies entered the 1 1/16 miles dirt route, which is the last stop on the local Road to the Kentucky Oaks and the first in the prep series to award 100-50-25-15-10 points to the top five finishers.

Scheduled for Saturday, March 22, the 58th running of the Fair Grounds Oaks is one of four graded stakes on the Louisiana Derby Day card along with the $1 million TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2), the first prep on the Road to the Kentucky Derby to offer 200 qualifying points; the centennial running of the $500,000 New Orleans Classic presented by Relyne GI By Hagyard (G2); and the $300,000 Muniz Memorial presented by Horse Racing Nation (G2).

In her sophomore debut, Good Cheer all but ensured entry in the 151st Kentucky Oaks with her decisive 6 ¼-length victory in the Rachel Alexandra (G2), bringing her points total to 45. The Brad Cox trainee proved untouchable as a 2-year-old, winning her four freshman starts by a combined 32 1/4 lengths, including the Golden Rod (G2) and the Rags to Riches last fall at Churchill Downs. The Medaglia d’Oro filly has remained at Fair Grounds and breezed three times since the Rachel Alexandra. Luis Saez returns to the saddle and will guide Good Cheer from post 7.

Beginning with Bonny South in 2020, Brad Cox has won the Fair Grounds Oaks three times, including last year with Tarifa.

Looking to continue his success in the local Oaks preps, trainer Whit Beckman entered the wire-to-wire Untapable victress Her Laugh in Saturday’s Fair Grounds Oaks. After her local stakes score, Grantley Acres’ Her Laugh shipped to Tampa Bay Downs for the Suncoast where she showed her grit to run second to La Cara after spotting the field three lengths. The Practical Joke filly boasts 20 qualifying points. Beckman will give the leg up to Irad Ortiz Jr. who will guide Her Laugh from post 5.

A logical contender is Fern Circle Stables’ Gowells Delight, who has earned 16.5 qualifying Oaks points. After her successful debut at two turns in December at Fair Grounds, trainer Ken McPeek threw the Practical Joke filly into deep waters for her encore, taking on the likes of Quietside and stablemate Take Charge Milady in the Martha Washington at Oaklawn Park. Gowells Delight vied for the early lead but could do no better than fourth. In the Rachel Alexandra, she set the pace and managed second last out to Good Cheer. Gowells Delight drew post 2 and will be piloted by Brian Hernandez Jr.

New to the Oaks trail is Twin Brook Stables, Glassman Racing, Belladonna Racing, and Woodford Racing’s Ahavah. The half-sister and stablemate to grade-one winner Vahva, Ahavah impressively won her debut for trainer Cherie DeVaux on February’s Risen Star undercard. Jose Ortiz retains the mount on the City of Light filly who will be stretching out to two turns for her encore.

Here’s the complete field for the $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

1. Girl Math (Flavien Prat, Rudy Brisset)

9. Quickick (Tyler Gaffalione, Tom Amoss)

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About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, one of the nation’s oldest racetracks, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, La, Fair Grounds, which is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN), also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 15 off-track betting parlors throughout Southeast Louisiana. The 153rd Thoroughbred Racing Season–highlighted by the 112th running of the Louisiana Derby–will run from Nov. 22, 2024 through March 23, 2025. More information is available online at www.fgno.com.