Further Ado is Good, But How Good?

[Wandering Eyes]

Spendthrift Farms' Further Ado (Gun Runner), who will make his next start in Saturday's GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill Downs, ran sensationally in his last start, winning a Keeneland maiden by 20 lengths, earning a 98 Beyer figure. The Beyer number is tied for the second fastest race by a 2-year-old in 2025.

But he's also somewhat of a mystery. Why did he run so poorly in his first two races and can he once again turn in a sizzling effort in what will be his stakes debut? The Kentucky Jockey Club should provide a lot of answers.

“We liked him a good bit, especially first time out,” trainer Brad Cox said. “I thought he was a horse that could win first time based on how he trained at Keeneland, Churchill and even Saratoga leading up to that debut. He's always been a really good training horse.  We did lose a little bit of confidence along the way when we didn't get the performances we were expecting in the first two runs.”

Further Ado debuted July 26 at Saratoga and finished fifth in a six-furlong maiden. He returned Aug. 30 at Saratoga in a seven-furlong maiden and ran a distant third.

The most obvious difference between his first and second races and his third was the distance. Cox stretched him out to a 1 1/16 miles and got one of the best performances by any 2-year-old this year.

“I think he just didn't handle the distance in those first two starts,” Cox said. “Getting him out around two turns seemed to make the difference. We liked him a good bit in all three starts. He was able to put it all together going long that day at Keeneland. No, I never thought he'd win by 20 lengths. Watching the race that day at Keeneland, I thought, 'Wow he's really moving well and they were going quick enough up front.' It didn't seem like anyone was closing in on him going into the far turn. It looked like he had the horse in front of him measured and he just kept extending the margin. It was a very impressive win, to say the least.”

Still, Cox knows that Saturday's stakes will be a challenge. As usual, the Kentucky Jockey Club has attracted some talented juveniles.

“He will need to step up and improve,” he said. “As long as he can get away well, get into the race and get into his rhythm, I think he will run well. He's been training at Churchill ever since that win at Keeneland and he trained this morning [on Nov. 23] and it was very impressive. Breaking well, getting involved early and getting into that rhythm are the things he'll need to do to be successful Saturday.”

Should Further Ado win the Kentucky Jockey Club, he will no doubt be considered, at the very least, a Top 10 prospect for next year's GI Kentucky Derby. Cox said he will wait until after Saturday before starting to put together a schedule for him for his 3-year-old campaign. Further Ado will winter at Payson Park in Florida, but that doesn't mean he will be taking the Gulfstream route to the Derby. Spendthrift will be in Florida with the horse now considered the Derby favorite, Ted Noffey (Into Mischief). Cox is rather sure that Spendthrift will want to keep the two apart, which means Further Ado might do his racing in the preps at Fair Grounds.

“The Florida preps will at least be on our list, but you have to remember that they'll have another very nice colt down there in Ted Noffey,” Cox said. “That's going to play a role in what we do, and it should. We'll see how we do on Saturday and then start thinking more about our plans.”

The main competition may come from the Saffie Joseph-trained Dr. Kapur (McKinzie), who will be stretching out after an impressive win in a seven-furlong maiden at Keeneland. Bob Baffert will be represented by the $1.15-million Keeneland September purchase Cherokee Nation (Not This Time), who is still a maiden. Steve Asmussen, who has won this race three times, will send out GIII Iroquois S. winner Spice Runner (Gun Runner).

Saturday's card at Churchill will also feature the GII Golden Rod S. for 2-year-old fillies. The heavy favorite will be Baffert's Explora (Blame), who is coming off a second-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Cox will try to post the upset with Rags to Riches S. winner Life of Joy (Gun Runner).

“We really like her,” Cox said. “She broke her maiden in Indiana and it was a really big step up going from that race to the stakes at Churchill. That race [the Rags to Riches] came up with somewhat of a short field and she got a really good trip. There are a few more fillies in this race and it's a deeper group . She has to step up again. She's another one that had a really good breeze this morning [Nov. 24] over this track. She is training well and is training forward since that last run. We've seen positive things from her since that last run.”

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