The 4-5 morning line on Good Cheer in the $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) at Fair Grounds on Saturday is like the watering-hole mirage in the sunbaked desert. It’s more wishful thinking than reality.
Many handicappers would gladly accept an 80-cent on-the-dollar return for this standout. Just don’t bet on seeing anything close to that price.
Good Cheer was 1-20 when she vanquished many of these same foes last month at this same track in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2).
The final odds might be a tick or two higher this time, but not much more. Good Cheer is simply that good, that dominant.
Barring the unforeseen, Good Cheer is on her way to the Kentucky Oaks (G1). The 100 qualifying points to the winner of this race are a mere afterthought.
The brilliant filly trained by Brad Cox is a perfect 5-for-5. She is undefeated and largely untested.
Looking to the future, Good Cheer already owns three wins at Churchill Downs, including the Golden Rod Stakes (G2). That bodes well for her Kentucky Oaks prospects.
Perhaps we are getting too far ahead of ourselves. After all, this is a horse race in front of us. Upsets can and do happen.
The intrepid handicapper who opts to buck Good Cheer will be amply rewarded if successful.
Those shopping for a price might consider Quickick (10-1), who is likely to improve on a fifth-place finish in Honeybee Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn in her season debut.
Quickick flashed hints of class last year with a second in the Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland and a third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Del Mar.
Secret Faith (6-1) has been tearing it up with seven wins in eight starts, mostly against Louisiana-breds.
And then there is the untapped potential of Ahavah (8-1), a dynamic front-running winner in her debut.
In the end, it all comes back around to Good Cheer. The price will be small, but the truly parched can slake their parimutuel thirst.
For those who bet on horse racing ...
1 Girl Math (Flavien Prat, Rodolphe Brisset), 12-1
2 Gowells Delight (Brian Hernandez, Jr., Kenny McPeek), 8-1
3 Ahavah (Jose Ortiz, Cherie DeVaux), 8-1
4 Jenkin (Florent Geroux, Lindsay Schultz), 20-1
5 Her Laugh (Irad Ortiz, Jr., Whit Beckman), 12-1
6 Bless the Broken (Axel Concepcion, 122, Will Walden), 15-1
7 Good Cheer (Luis Saez, Brad Cox), 4-5
8 Secret Faith (Jareth Loveberry, Jayde Gelner), 6-1
9 Quickick (Tyler Gaffalione, Tom Amoss), 10-1
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
