Immersive, Good Cheer to race in 2026
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Immersive never really got untracked this year after winning an Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old filly of 2024. And Good Cheer had a quiet second half of her 3-year-old campaign after capturing the Kentucky Oaks. But both fillies will race on next year at age 4, trainer Brad Cox said this week.
Immersive went 4 for 4 during 2024, ending her season with an easy win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. She didn’t return to racing until June this year, suffered two losses, and finally looked like she’d progressed when winning the Seneca Overnight on Sept. 20 at Churchill Downs. But that was it for 2025; Immersive now is on winter holiday.
Same with Good Cheer, who’s at a farm near Lexington awaiting her return to training. Good Cheer won the Rachel Alexandra, the Fair Grounds Oaks, and the Kentucky Oaks to start her 3-year-old campaign, but since the Oaks has been fifth in the Acorn, second in the Alabama, and sixth in the Cotillion on Sept. 20 at Parx Racing.
An extended layoff for the 3-year-old colt Tappan Street has nearly come to an end. Tappan Street won the Florida Derby on March 29, the last horse to beat Sovereignty, before getting injured while training toward the Kentucky Derby. Tappan Street late this summer worked twice at WinStar Farm, then breezed four times at Keeneland, and on Nov. 1 had a half-mile drill at Payson Park in Florida. Cox hopes Tappan Street can race in December as a possible prep for the Pegasus World Cup in January.
On the 2-year-old front, the Cox-trained colt Further Ado has breezed twice, most recently on Nov. 1, since winning a Keeneland maiden route by 20 lengths on Oct. 10. Further Ado, by Gun Runner, ran decently in a pair of Saratoga sprints before moving far forward in his two-turn debut. Cox and owner Spendthrift Farm intend to start Further Ado in the Kentucky Jockey Club on Nov. 29 at Churchill.
“He’s on track, had two nice maintenance moves,” Cox said. “He’s a horse that’s always trained well.”
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