Cheermeister wires the field in Gulfstream's Sweetest Chant

Sent off at 7-1 in a field of seven under jockey Emisael Jaramillo, Cheermeister ($17.20) hit the wire in 1:37.25 over a turf course rated good. Stakes winner Micheline came running late from last to get up for second, a head in front of Ivyetsu. It was three-quarters of a length back to She’s My Type in fourth, while 3-2 favorite Moral Reasoning ran fifth.

Unlike her previous race, when she finished 10th after acting up in and then breaking through the gate in the Ginger Brew Jan. 4 at Gulfstream, Cheermeister exited smoothly and was quickly on the lead, coasting through splits of 24.24 and 49.57 seconds, and went six furlongs in 1:13.64 chased by Moana’s Tale. Cheermeister remained comfortably in front and had something left down the stretch.

“I thought she was going to win last time but she got very nervous in the gate and in the paddock, too," said trainer Armando De La Cerda. "There were a lot of people and it made the horse nervous. I knew I had to work with her at the gate, so we worked last week a couple times and we went to the paddock and she was much better this time."

"It’s the way she likes to be, I think [on the lead]. There was only one other speed in the race [Moana’s Tale], but I don’t think it was as much as my filly. When I saw 24 [seconds] and change and 49, I knew when everybody tried to catch her she was going to kick on. She’s a nice filly.”

A daughter of Grade 1 winner Bodemeister, Cheermeister won the one-mile Wait A While Nov. 30 after finishing second but being placed first following a tough trip in her Oct. 14 debut, both at Gulfstream. It was the fifth career graded-stakes win for De La Cerda, the other four coming with La Tia in 2014 including the Matriarch (G1).

“She’s been kind of a farm favorite," the owner, David Palmer, said. "We broke her and trainer her at Winner’s Circle Thoroughbreds. I’m a little disappointed that my wife and son and daughter couldn’t be here. They were very involved in her handling. Hats off to [jockey Emisael] Jaramillo. He did a great job, and of course, Armando does a great job. She’s a special filly. It’s just a matter of bringing her along slowly and letting her develop.”