Ado’s other owner, Spendthrift Farm, already had one ace for the 2026 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve in the presumptive champion of 2-year-old Ted Noffey, who completed a 4-for-4 campaign this year when winning the Oct. 31 FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile presented by TAA in Del Mar.
Now it looks like they have a pair of aces, with Further Ado adding to Spendthrift’s enviable hand.
Saturday’s Kentucky Jockey Club win didn’t come as easily as Further Ado’s previous victory at Keeneland on Oct. 10, when he steamrolled the opponent by 20 lengths while racing at close range, but it was promising nonetheless. He beat a talented field of 2-year-olds, doing so from a stalking position to reel in leader Soldier N Diplomat, and showed the ability to handle the surface at Churchill Downs, where the Kentucky Derby will be contested on May 2 next year.
“If you want to get to the Derby, it is obviously important to perform well here at Churchill,” said trainer Brad Cox.
Racing wide Furthermore, Ado crossed the wire comfortably ahead of the late charging Universe, who rode half a length past the tired show finisher Soldier N Diplomat, trained by Steve Asmussen.
“He was able to show another dimension today,” jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. said. “I was able to let go of the speed and have a pretty good ride. He really had to intervene late to get to the wire first. I think this race will really benefit him down the road.”
Furthermore, Ado was clocked in 1:43.33, the fastest of four races at 1 1/16 miles on dirt during an all-youthful Saturday at Churchill Downs, albeit only marginally. The divisions in the race were: 23.35, :46.76 and 1:10.84, set by Dr. Kapur, who would pass the lead to a pace-chasing Soldier N Diplomat exiting the second corner.
While his final time was fast, Further Ado’s final sixteenth of a mile in :06.78 was not. This relatively slow splitting caused the Universe to come to him late, and the Universe galloped outward within him. Universe raced wide into the second turn before drifting down the stretch.
“I think we have to have a little more luck with his journey,” said Universe’s trainer Kenny McPeek.
Furthermore, Ado now has a record of 2-0-1 in four starts and his earnings are $320,703. He is perfect in two routes.
Very Connected, another McPeek trainee, finished fourth. The Bob Baffert-trained Cherokee Nation, who were intimidated and battled back to the first turn, finished fifth.
The Kentucky Jockey Club provided qualifying points for next year’s Kentucky Derby on a scale of 10-5-3-2-1 to the top five finishers. Churchill Downs uses qualifying points to promote the race and as a preferred system when the Derby attracts more entries than the 20 starter capacity.
While Cox did not immediately specify which races he would target with Further Ado next year, he did say that with the colt’s 10 Derby points, a two-race campaign ahead of the Derby is likely. Cox is expected to train Further Ado at Payson Park this winter. Although Cox stabled at that South Florida training facility, he has shown a willingness to send his best dirt horses to Fair Grounds Race Course in Louisiana or Oaklawn Park in Arkansas for stakes racing. He also runs horses at Gulfstream Park in Florida.
Ted Noffey is targeting a Gulfstream Park campaign for trainer Todd Pletcher this winter and spring.
Bella Ballerina is now officially headed to the 2026 Longines Kentucky Oaks with a victory Nov. 29 in the $397,375 Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs for trainer Brendan Walsh with jockey Tyler Gaffalione aboard.
Bella Ballerina sat comfortably outside fractions of :23.45, :46.31 and 1:11.19 of runaway leader Letmecounttheways, who opened early on the field. Bella Ballerina then took command with ease down the stretch, holding off the late rallies of second-place Atropa and Just Singing, who settled for third. She won by half a length in a time of 1:43.50 and paid $10.28 to win.
Bella Ballerina’s first score came around two turns in her first start. After a debut win by 4 1/4 lengths at Keeneland on October 5 at six furlongs, Walsh was confident the filly could handle the extra ground on the second question.
“She has the pedigree to stay,” Walsh said. “She should improve a lot and go further next year.”
With her victory, Bella Ballerina earned 10 qualifying points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, while the top five finishers received points on a scale of 10-5-3-2-1.
“It’s important to have a race around this track if you think you have a filly good enough to point to the Oaks,” said Godolphin spokesman Michael Banahan. “Super impressive effort from the filly, and we can dream a bit here in the winter in the Oaks.” –Sean Collins
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