The Good Life makes all in Hopeful

Eight days after teaming up to win the Travers (G1) with longshot Leading Change, trainer Brad Cox and jockey Manny Franco landed Saratoga’s signature two-year-old race, the $300,000 Hopeful (G1), with post-time favorite The Good Life.

Sent to the front from post 1, The Good Life was never headed. Gradually increasing his advantage at each call from closest pursuer Mystrix, The Good Life dominated through the stretch to win by four lengths. The final time, though, was a modest 1:24.08 for seven furlongs over a fast track.

The Hopeful closely resembled The Good Life’s winning debut, in which he graduated by 3 1/2 lengths going six furlongs on July 18 at Saratoga.

“We were letting him just kind of break on his own and we’re going to allow him to kind of find his way, and he found himself on the lead without, I think, a lot of encouragement, and second time out, probably broke a little bit sharper than he did the first time,” trainer Brad Cox said. “He broke so-so first time and then kind of quickly took control and today, broke a little better and just took control of the race.”

Owned in partnership by breeders WinStar Farm, First Go Racing, and CHC, The Good Life returned $7.14.

Mystrix and Booked raced in second and third throughout the Hopeful and finished in that order, Mystrix finishing 1 1/4 lengths ahead. The remainder of the field was strung out, with Lifesong, Midnight Still, Flight Command, and High Official rounding out the order of finish.

Cox said The Good Life would ship back to Churchill Downs and point for either the Breeders’ Futurity (G10) at Keeneland or the Champagne (G1) at Belmont Park, both of which are on Oct. 3.

By first-crop sire Life Is Good, The Good Life was reared by First Hour, a daughter of Speightstown who has also produced the multiple Grade 3-placed Hereforagoodtime.

First Hour is a half-sister to multiple Grade 2 winner Justwhistledixie, the dam of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner New Year’s Day and three other graded winners.

Earlier in the card, Mashallah easily dispatched four rivals in the $218,250 Prioress (G3), winning the six-furlong dash for three-year-old fillies by five lengths.

Heavily favored, the JR Ranch-owned daughter of Maxfield paid $2.96 after speeding in 1:09.93 under Manny Franco. Mythical finished second, one length ahead of Hen Party.

Trained by Brendan Walsh, Mashallah is now 4-for-5, her only blemish being her initial allowance try in late May, which came on the heels of a very fast debut at Keeneland in April. The Prioress was her second stakes a row, following the seven-furlong Tyson Gilpin S. at Colonial Downs on Aug. 1.

"I believe if everything stays according to plan, we'll go for the Raven Run (G2) in six weeks [on October 17 at Keeneland], and see where our path may go after that,” said Ramiro Restrepo, racing and bloodstock manager for JR Ranch.