Godolphin’s undefeated Good Cheer is the 6-5 morning line favorite for the 151st running of the $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) on Friday. Kentucky-bred fillies comprise 11-of-14 Kentucky Oaks entrants. Post time for the Oaks is 5:51 p.m. ET.

Trained by Brad Cox, Good Cheer enters the Oaks off a 3 ½-length victory in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2). Now 6-for-6 in her career, Good Cheer has posted three wins at Churchill Downs, including in the Rags to Riches S. and the Golden Rod S. (G2) last year.

“She’s been incredibly impressive this year and we’re expecting a big effort next week,” Cox said of Good Cheer, who will break from post 11 under Luis Saez.

Pretty Mischievous provided Godolphin with the operation’s first Oaks victory in 2023. Cox won the Oaks in 2020 with Shedaresthedevil and in 2018 with Monomoy Girl. Saez captured the Oaks in 2022 on Secret Oath.

La Cara Second Choice in Kentucky Oaks

Second choice on the morning line at 6-1 is Tracy Farmer’s Kentucky-bred La Cara. Winner of the Ashland S. (G1) in her most recent start and the Pocahontas S. (G3) at Churchill last year, La Cara is trained by Mark Casse and will be ridden by Dylan Davis. She will break from post seven.

“I think the post is good,” Casse said. “We’re coming out running and she’s in a good spot.”

Third choice on the morning line at 8-1 is Shortleaf Stable homebred Quietside. Trained by John Ortiz, Quietside enters the Oaks off wins in the Honeybee S. (G3) and the Fantasy S. (G2) at Oaklawn Park. The daughter of Malibu Moon will be ridden by Jose Ortiz, who rode Serengeti Empress to a win in the 2019 Kentucky Oaks.

Kentucky Oaks Field

  • Early On (NY) (Edgard Zayas, Saffie Joseph Jr., 30-1)
  • Simply Joking (PA) (Florent Geroux, Whit Beckman, 10-1)
  • Fondly (Irad Ortiz Jr., Graham Motion, 30-1)
  • Drexel Hill (Ben Curtis, Whit Beckman, 30-1)
  • Quickick (Umberto Rispoli, Tom Amoss, 30-1)
  • Ballerina d’Oro (Flavien Prat, Chad Brown, 10-1)
  • La Cara (Dylan Davis, Mark Casse, 6-1)
  • Five G (NY) (Manny Franco, George Weaver, 12-1)
  • Tenma (Juan Hernandez, Bob Baffert, 12-1)
  • Take Charge Milady (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek, 12-1)
  • Good Cheer (Luis Saez, Brad Cox, 6-5)
  • Anna’s Promise (Junior Alvarado, Carlos David, 30-1)
  • Bless the Broken (John Velazquez, Will Walden, 30-1)
  • Quietside (Jose Ortiz, John Ortiz, 8-1)