Good Cheer much the best in Rags to Riches

Oct 27, 2024 Darren Rogers/Churchill Downs Racetrack

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024) – Godolphin’s homebred filly Good Cheer overcame being shuffled back to last in the first few jumps of the race and rallied with a sweeping wide move on the final turn to easily breeze past leader Claire’s Charm and win Sunday’s 12th running of the $200,000 Rags to Riches (Listed) at Churchill Downs by 4 3/4 lengths to remain unbeaten in three starts.

Ridden by Luis Saez and trained by Brad Cox, Good Cheer ran 1 1/16 miles on “fast” dirt in 1:44. For Cox, it was his record-extending fourth win in the race after previous triumphs with Monomoy Girl (2017), Coach (2020) and West Sunset (2023).

Previously, Good Cheer broke her maiden at Indiana Grand in August by 8 1/4 lengths and followed that effort with a 17-length allowance score in “sloppy” going at Churchill Downs in late September.

Breaking from post No. 4 in the compact field of five 2-year-old fillies, Good Cheer hesitated when the gates opened and was relegated to last going into the first turn as Claire’s Charm led through fractions of :23.88 and :48.06. Good Cheer began to improve position down the backstretch and into the far turn and circled three-wide when they hit the six-furlong marker in 1:12.63. She was full of run throughout and easily dominated her rivals down the stretch.

🏆 Good Cheer stays perfect in the Rags to Riches! pic.twitter.com/redGVbXr2C

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) October 27, 2024

“She was really impressive again today,” Saez said. “I took her back off horses down the backside and saved ground. She relaxed and handled that very well. Around the turn when I asked her for her best run she was loaded. She’s a very impressive prospect with not a lot of seasoning behind her.”

Good Cheer, at odds of 3-5, paid $3.48, $2.28 and $2.10. Claire’s Charm, with Tyler Gaffalione aboard, returned $2.52 and $2.10. Sherbini, ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., was another 4 1/2 lengths back in third and paid $2.10.

Adeera was fourth and Mechaya was last. My Lil Punky, Alyeska and Lady Orient were scratched.

Sunday’s payday was worth $123,000 and Good Cheer improved her record to 3-3-0-0—$215,160. She also collected 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. The top five finishers earned points on a scale of 10-5-3-2-1.

“She’s shown a lot of talent in just three starts,” Cox said. “Today was obviously a new test trying stakes company for the first time. She handled being behind horses very well.”

By Medaglia d’Oro, Good Cheer is a Kentucky-bred bay filly out of the Street Sense mare Wedding Toast.

Sunday’s race is named in honor of Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor’s 2007 Kentucky Oaks (GI) winner. Six years ago, Michael Dubb and Monomoy Stables’ Monomoy Girl cruised to a 6 1/2-length score in the Rags to Riches prior to her triumph in the 2018 Kentucky Oaks.