Jonathan’s Way tops Kentucky Jockey Club; Good Cheer headlines Golden Rod

Nov 24, 2024 Kevin Kerstein/Kentucky Racing Communications

Jonathan's Way wins the Iroquois S. at Churchill Downs

Jonathan's Way wins the Iroquois S. at Churchill Downs (Photo by Coady Photography)

The Road to the Kentucky Derby continues Saturday at Churchill Downs, where Rigney Racing’s Iroquois Stakes (Grade III) winner Jonathan’s Way headlines a competitive field of 10 2-year-olds entered in the 98th running of the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII), the featured race on the Stars of Tomorrow II program.

The 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Jockey Club will be run as Race 11 on the 12-race program with a post time of 5:48 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post is 1 p.m. The card also will feature its filly counterpart, the $400,000 Golden Rod (GII) in Race 9, which is part of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks Prep Season. Additional stakes on the program are the $225,000 Ed Brown in Race 6 and the $225,000 Fern Creek in Race 10.

Trained by Phil Bauer, Jonathan’s Way burst onto the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a commanding 2 3/4-length score in the Iroquois in September and earned 10 qualifying points toward a spot in the starting gate for Kentucky Derby 151.

After his standout performance, the Ohio-bred colt was among the top choices for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) but finished a disappointing seventh after chasing a moderate early pace set by eventual winner Citizen Bull. Jockey Joel Rosario, aboard for the Iroquois and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, retains the mount and will guide Jonathan’s Way on Saturday from post No. 2.

Jonathan’s Way will face several promising 2-year-olds including Grey Stakes (GIII) winner He’s Not Joking; Saratoga Special (GII) runner-up First Resort; and Breeders’ Futurity (GI) third-place finisher Filoso.

The field for the Kentucky Jockey Club in order of post position (with jockey and trainer):

·        He’s Not Joking (Florent Geroux, Josie Carroll)

·        Jonathan’s Way (Rosario, Bauer)

·        Tiztastic (Cristian Torres, Steve Asmussen)

·        Dapper Moon (Ricardo Santana Jr., Dallas Stewart)

·        Filoso (John Velazquez, Chad Summers)

·        Clock Tower (Gerardo Corrales, Wesley Ward)

·        Sonic Skidaddle (Tyler Gaffalione, Brendan Walsh)

·        First Resort (Luis Saez, Eoin Harty)

·        Render Judgment (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek)

·        Redacted (Edgar Morales, Dallas Stewart)

The Kentucky Jockey Club is a Road to the Kentucky Derby Prep Season race that offers qualifying points to the top five finishers on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale toward a spot in the starting gate for the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI).

Godolphin’s undefeated homebred Good Cheer will face a talented field of seven 2-year-old fillies entered in the Golden Rod. A 1 1/16-mile contest that is the co-featured event on the Stars of Tomorrow II program, the Golden Rod will have a post time of 4:48 p.m.

As part of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks Prep Season, the Golden Rod will award qualifying points to the top five finishers on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale toward the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI).

Trained by Brad Cox, Good Cheer has dazzled in all three of her starts. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro was a dominant winner of the Rags to Riches at Churchill Downs on Oct. 27, drawing off by 5 1/2 lengths. Earlier in her campaign, Good Cheer captured an allowance race by an eye-popping 17 lengths and broke her maiden at Horseshoe Indianapolis with an 8 1/4-length romp. Leading rider Luis Saez retains the mount and will break from post 3.

Joining Good Cheer in the starting gate for the Golden Rod is her stablemate Eclatant, owned by Stonestreet Stables. The undefeated daughter of Into Mischief is 2-for-2, both victories coming in sprints. Saturday’s Golden Rod will mark her first attempt around two turns. Jockey Florent Geroux has the call from post 1.

The field also includes Shortleaf Stable’s Quietside, a multiple Grade I-placed runner trained by John Ortiz. Quietside burst onto the scene in August with a 6 1/4-length maiden-breaking victory at Saratoga under Saez. Since then, the daughter of Violence has finished second in the Spinaway (GI) and third in the Alcibiades (GI), both behind eventual Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) winner Immersive. With Saez opting to ride Good Cheer, jockey Tyler Gaffalione has the mount from post 4.

The complete field for the Golden Rod from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

·        Eclatant (Geroux, Cox)

·        Fixin to Bee (John Velazquez, Rusty Arnold II)

·        Good Cheer (Saez, Cox)

·        Quietside (Gaffalione, Ortiz)

·        Sturgeon Moon (Evin Roman, Paulo Lobo)

·        My Lil Punky (Edgar Morales, John Ennis)

·        Flash Wear (Cristian Torres, Tommy Vance)

Churchill Downs’ Stars of Tomorrow programs, inaugurated in 2005, have launched the careers of some of horse racing’s biggest stars, including Kentucky Derby winners Mystik Dan, Mandaloun, and Super Saver, along with Kentucky Oaks winners Thorpedo Anna, Pretty Mischievous, Secret Oath, Monomoy Girl, Believe You Can, and Rachel Alexandra.

Fans can watch and wager on all the action from Churchill Downs on TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

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