Recent Rachel Alexandra victor Good Cheer. (Hodges Photography/Lou Hodges, Jr.)
Undefeated Good Cheer among Nominees to $750,000 Central Bank Ashland on Opening Day of Keeneland Spring Meet
Keeneland Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Keeneland will kick off its 2025 Spring Meet on Friday, April 4 with 10 races featuring the 88th running of the $750,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1), the year’s first Grade 1 stakes for 3-year-old fillies. A total of 96 horses – led by Godolphin’s undefeated Good Cheer – have been nominated to the Central Bank Ashland, which is offering a record purse that increased by $150,000 from 2024.
Click here for a list of Central Bank Ashland nominees; click here for their past performances.
The 1 1/16-mile Central Bank Ashland is an important early season target for sophomore fillies. Recent winners who went on to be named division champions are Nest (2022), Malathaat (2021) and Monomoy Girl (2018).
The Central Bank Ashland, the ninth race with a post time of 5:16 p.m. ET, is one of three stakes on the first day of Keeneland’s Spring Meet. The other stakes are the 37th running of the $600,000 Transylvania (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select for 3-year-olds racing 1 1/16 miles on the turf and the 77th running of the $400,000 Lafayette (L) for 3-year-olds at 7 furlongs on the dirt.
The races, which begin at 1 p.m., will be streamed live and at no charge on Keeneland.com.
The Central Bank Ashland also awards 100 points to the winner on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. The next four finishers receive 50 points, 25 points, 15 points and 10 points, respectively, to the $1.5 million, Grade 1 race on May 2 at Churchill Downs.
Thirteen of the top 14-point earners on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks are nominated to the Central Bank Ashland.
Good Cheer, trained by Brad Cox, is perfect in five races with her most recent victory coming in her 2025 debut when she recorded a 6¼-length win in the Rachel Alexandra (G2) at Fair Grounds on Feb. 15. Good Cheer has won her races, including the Golden Rod (G2) at Churchill Downs to close her 2024 campaign, by a combined 38¾ lengths.
Cox, who conditioned Monomoy Girl, leads all trainers with 10 nominees to the Central Bank Ashland. They include Demoiselle (G2) winner Muhimma and Forward Gal (G3) winner Eclatant.
Other notable Central Bank Ashland nominees include Gowell’s Delight, second in the Rachel Alexandra; Her Laugh, winner of the Untapable and runner-up in the Suncoast (L); La Cara, winner of the Suncoast and Pocahontas (G3); Look Forward, winner of the Santa Ynez (L) and runner-up in the Starlet (G2); Quickick, runner-up in the Darley Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland last fall and third in the NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1); Quietside, third in the Darley Alcibiades and second in the Golden Rod and Spinaway (G1); Scottish Lassie, winner of the Frizette (G1); Simply Joking, winner of the Silverbulletday;Take Charge Milady, winner of the Martha Washington (L); Tenma, winner of the Del Mar Debutante (G1), the Starlet and the Las Virgenes (G3); and Vodka With a Twist, winner of the Debutante (L) and four times graded-stakes placed.
Following Cox on the list of leading trainers by the number of horses nominated to the Central Bank Ashland are Chad Brown (nine) and three-time race winner Kenny McPeek (eight).
The late nomination deadline for the Central Bank Ashland is Wednesday, March 19.
Post positions for the Central Bank Ashland and the other April 4 races will be drawn Monday, March 31.
