Trainer Brad Cox celebrated a win in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks a mere six months ago when Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) ran to her odds that Friday afternoon. On Saturday at Churchill Downs another 2-year-old filly conditioned by him took home her first Oaks points when Life of Joy (Gun Runner) got her picture taken in the Rags To Riches Stakes.
With only one race under her belt, Life of Joy certainly made it a memorable one when she romped over the competition by some 14 lengths at Horseshoe Indianapolis Oct. 2.
Slammed at the windows to the tune of 84 cents on the dollar here, the filly looked comfortable as could be after the bell as she settled behind The Grumpy Rabbit (Not This Time). Just waiting for her cue from Irad Ortiz Jr., the filly got down to business entering the lane. Life of Joy fired her best shot, hit the mark with the lead secured and deposited 10 Oaks points into her account.
“She showed a tremendous amount of talent there at Indiana and was an easy winner first out,” trainer Brad Cox said. “We shipped her back here immediately and just wanted to take our time with her. The work last week (four furlongs in :50.20) was a good move. She was moving well and I thought it showed us we can enter to see what the field was like. She backed up the way she was training the past couple weeks.”
The first foal for her dam, the winner is a half-sister to current yearling colt Megacenter (Epicenter), who went to Cianello Bloodstock Services for $700,000 at the recent Keeneland September sale. Jordan's Leo foaled a colt by Elite Power this past spring before visiting Arabian Knight for next term.
RAGS TO RICHES S., $200,000, Churchill Downs, 10-26, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:45.76, ft.
1–LIFE OF JOY, 122, f, 2, by Gun Runner
1st Dam: Jordan's Leo (SP, $137,050), by Malibu Moon
2nd Dam: Lady Is a Lioness, by Leroidesanimaux (Brz)
3rd Dam: Jeanne Jones, by Nijinsky II
($375,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Stroud, Will, Andrew Farm, Mountmellick Farm and For the People Racing Stable LLC; B-Springhouse Farm (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $122,070. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $141,270.
2–The Grumpy Rabbit, 122, f, 2, Not This Time–Midtown Traffic, by Midnight Lute. ($185,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). O-Edwin Anthony; B-Maegan Ford Nicholson & James Nicholson (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $39,700.
3–Go to Girl, 122, f, 2, Knicks Go–Revealing Quality, by Quality Road. ($42,000 Ylg '24 FTKFEB; $130,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-WSD Stable; B-Titletown Racing Stables (Paul Farr) (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $19,850.
Margins: 2 1/4, 3 1/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 0.84, 2.83, 9.98.
Also Ran: Americathegreat, Tearin'up My Heart, Josie Joe. Scratched: Kingsolver.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
Life of Joy picks up 10 points towards the Kentucky Oaks in the Rags to Riches! 🤩@bradcoxracing trains the 2YO filly and @iradortiz was aboard.
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/5R72lyOLRA
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) October 26, 2025
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