Tiztastic breaks through in Louisiana Derby; Good Cheer romps in Fair Grounds Oaks

Mar 22, 2025 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Tiztastic wins the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds. (Photo by Hodges Photography)

Hitherto a bridesmaid on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, Tiztastic jumped up to score a $17 upset in Saturday’s Twinspires.com $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2). The $396,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) was more formful, as the odds-on Good Cheer stayed undefeated and consolidated her grip on early favoritism for the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Each took home 100 points to vault to the top of their respective leaderboards. Tiztastic has collected a total of 119 points toward the Kentucky Derby (G1), and Good Cheer brandishes 145 Oaks points.

Louisiana Derby (G2)

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen has yet to win the Kentucky Derby, and his luck didn’t seem to be changing when his best apparent hope for 2025, Magnitude, was sidelined by injury. But three-year-olds can blossom at this time of year, and stablemate Tiztastic has stepped forward to give Asmussen another chance in the Run for the Roses.

Campaigned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and the Coolmore partners – Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith – Tiztastic went off as a 7.50-1 shot with new rider Joel Rosario. The dark bay dropped far off the early pace in ninth, trailed only by Instant Replay.

Meanwhile, 9-5 favorite John Hancock took up his customary front-running role and carved out splits of :22.99, :46.84, and 1:11.03 on the fast Fair Grounds track. On the far turn, Built made a bold move to accost John Hancock, and he put the favorite away in the stretch.

But Tiztastic and Chunk of Gold were also on the march, and they overtook Built, whose stamina gave out in the final furlong. Tiztastic swept 2 1/4 lengths clear of Chunk of Gold while negotiating 1 3/16 miles in 1:56.20.

Chunk of Gold, who had been a distant second to Magnitude in the Risen Star (G2), held the runner-up spot again. A half-length up on the fast-finishing Instant Replay, Chunk of Gold added 50 points to his ledger for a total of 75.

Instant Replay was a promising third (25 points) in his stakes debut. John Hancock managed to take fourth, worth 15 points for an overall tally of 35. Built faded to fifth, and those 10 points increased his total to 45. Vassimo and Hypnus came next, with a long gap back to Caldera, Furio, and Asmussen’s other runner, Yinzer.

Tiztastic grabs 100 points to the @kentuckyderby with a win in the G2 TwinSpires Louisiana Derby at @fairgroundsnola! 🌹

Steve Asmussen trains and @JRosarioJockey was aboard.

🎥 TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/SEKdOT8Kx9

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) March 22, 2025

Tiztastic’s only prior wins had come on turf at Kentucky Downs, notably in last year’s Juvenile Mile. Second in the Street Sense (G3), third in both the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) and Southwest (G3), and fifth in the Rebel (G2) in his latest, he has compiled a record of 8-3-1-2, $1,549,800.

From the first crop of Tiz the Law, who was second as the favorite in the 2020 Kentucky Derby, Tiztastic was produced by the Tapit mare Keesha. He’s therefore closely inbred to Tapit, who is also his direct male-line ancestor.

Tiztastic was bred by Capital Bloodstock in Kentucky, sold for $80,000 as a newly-turned yearling at Keeneland January, and went to his current connections for $335,000 at the same venue’s September Yearling Sale.

Fair Grounds Oaks (G2)

Good Cheer pulls away from Ahavah in the Fair Grounds Oaks (Photo by Hodges Photography / Jan Brubaker)

Godolphin’s homebred Good Cheer ranked as the overwhelming 2-5 favorite following a series of victories on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks – last fall’s Rags to Riches S. and Golden Rod (G2) at Churchill Downs, as well as the Feb. 15 Rachel Alexandra (G2) in her comeback at Fair Grounds. The Brad Cox filly had to work a bit harder to pull clear in the Fair Grounds Oaks, but she ultimately imposed her authority by 3 1/2 lengths.

“She’s pretty special,” regular rider Luis Saez said of Good Cheer, who is now a perfect 6-for-6 with earnings of $877,630.

“She reminds me of Secret Oath (the 2022 Kentucky Oaks winner) when I first got up on her. She’s very kind and does everything perfect. At the top of the stretch she gave me a big turn of foot. That’s a crazy filly.”

Good Cheer was perched in fourth early, just 1 1/2 lengths off the pacesetter. As expected, recent sprint maiden winner Ahavah dashed to the early lead through fractions of :23.91, :47.81, and 1:12.16. Her Laugh pressed until they swung into the stretch, when she could not maintain her position.

By that point, Good Cheer was rolling into contention on the outside. Although Ahavah tried to dig in and hang tough, Good Cheer had too much firepower late as she drew off to finish 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.44.

"It is Good Cheer! All class, all wins!" 🎙️ @JohnGDooley

She is 6-for-6 after another easy victory in the G2 Fair Grounds Oaks!

Next stop: the Kentucky Oaks! 🌷 @godolphin @bradcoxracing @luissaezpty @fairgroundsnola

🎥 TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/bxFJLJ3BNA

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) March 22, 2025

Ahavah opened her Oaks account with 50 points. Gowells Delight, who had traffic trouble down the lane, got up for third (25 points) and increased her tally to 41.5. Quickick churned on from well back for fourth (15 points for a total of 34). Her Laugh received 10 points in fifth, giving her 30 in all. Jenkin, Secret Faith, and Girl Math concluded the order under the wire.

Bless the Broken was scratched, opting to run in the Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park. That strategy paid off, as she won and assured herself of a spot in the Kentucky Oaks.

Good Cheer will try to become the third Kentucky Oaks winner sired by Medaglia d’Oro, after Hall of Famer Rachel Alexandra (2009) and Plum Pretty (2011). Good Cheer’s mother, Wedding Toast, is a multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire by Street Sense, the 2007 Kentucky Derby champion.