The brilliant, undefeated Kentucky Oaks (G1) champion Good Cheer will put her perfect record on the line as the overwhelming favorite in Friday’s prestigious $500,000 DK Horse Acorn (G1) at Saratoga.
Having vanquished all comers in her seven career starts, the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro stands as a titan over the three-year-old filly division and looks to cement her legacy with another Grade 1 triumph.
Carded as the 11th race with a post time of 5:46 PM ET, the 1 1/8-mile classic will feature a compact field of six after the scratch of Shred the Gnar.
The path now looks even clearer for Good Cheer to continue her reign, as she faces a group of familiar rivals and classy challengers, all of whom will have to produce a lifetime-best performance to deny the champion her coronation at the Spa.
The Field
1. Scottish Lassie (12-1) – This Grade 1 Frizette Stakes winner adds an element of intrigue from the rail post. While her lone win came via stalking the pace , the race analysis suggests her connections intend to use her early speed to challenge the leaders from the start in this spot.
She has been training brilliantly over the Saratoga surface, posting a bullet five-furlong workout on May 25th. Her biggest hurdle remains the 1 1/8-mile distance, a trip she attempts for the first time after weakening late in her last start at a shorter distance
2. Good Cheer (1/2) – The undisputed queen of her division, Good Cheer enters with a flawless seven-for-seven record. Her victory in the Kentucky Oaks was a masterclass in talent and versatility, as she rallied from off the pace and drew away with authority. Retaining jockey Luis Saez, who has guided her to her last six wins, the heavy favorite appears to hold every tactical advantage and is the one they all have to beat.
3. La Cara (10-1) – A Grade 1 winner in her own right after capturing the Ashland Stakes, this filly brings high-level credentials. She does her best running on the lead and will likely set the pace for the field to chase. While she faded at this distance in the Kentucky Oaks, she has the class to be a major player for a top placing if she can hold her form down the stretch.
4. Shred The Gnar (3-1) – Scratched.
5. Bless the Broken (10-1) – This hard-trying filly is a deep closer who ran a courageous third in the Kentucky Oaks, rallying from far back on a wide trip. She has consistently performed well in top-level stakes races and should be closing ground late once again. She is a logical contender to round out the trifecta and will be hoping for an honest pace to aid her late charge.
6. Look Forward (15-1) – Entering off a sharp victory in the Eight Belles (G2), this filly bounced back to post a career-best Beyer Speed Figure. She now stretches out to her longest distance yet, a key question she must answer. While in sharp form, she faces a significant class test against the proven route horses in this field.
7. Quickick (20-1) – A one-time winner who is still eligible for easier allowance races, she has nevertheless held her own against graded stakes company. She is a deep closer who adds top jockey Flavien Prat, a move that often signals improvement. While she appears overmatched for the win, she could pass tired rivals late to pick up a minor check.
Win, Place, Show, Wildcard, and Longshot
Win: (2) Good Cheer (1/2) – There is no reason to pick against perfection. She is the class of the field, has defeated most of these rivals before, and has shown she can win in multiple ways. She is the most likely winner by a comfortable margin.
Place: (3) La Cara (10-1) – As a Grade 1 winner and the likely pacesetter, she has the talent to carve out the fractions and hold on for the second spot. Her class should carry her a long way, making her the logical runner-up to the champion.
Show: (5) Bless the Broken (10-1) – She is a proven closer at this elite level, as evidenced by her game third-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks where she rallied from far back. With her grinding style, she is a solid bet to rally for a board position and hit the trifecta.
Wildcard: (6) Look Forward (15-1) – This filly enters off a sharp victory in the Eight Belles (G2) where she posted a career-best Beyer Speed Figure. If she can successfully stretch her speed to this 1 1/8-mile distance and get a good tactical position behind the leader, her sharp current form could make her a dangerous surprise package.
Longshot: (1) Scottish Lassie (12-1) – While her only Saratoga start was a third-place finish , she is a Grade 1 winner, having captured the Frizette Stakes at BAQ. That demonstrated class makes her the most compelling of the remaining longshots to factor into the exotics if she can return to that top form.
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