Rebounding from his Kentucky Derby (G1) disappointment where he was the beaten favorite, Further Ado returned to his winning ways with a handy 2-length victory in the June 7 $500,000 Matt Winn Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.
The son of Gun Runner , sent off as the 3-5 favorite with regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr. back aboard for the 1 1/16-mile race, broke alertly and slightly pushed out Corona de Oro and Taptastic into the center of the track as he angled back in to track the speedy Pavlovian through fast opening fractions of :23.69 and :46.69.
Ortiz, who had been aboard Further Ado in five of his first six career starts, returned in the saddle today aboard the chestnut colt after opting to ride Renegade in the Kentucky Derby.
"We broke well today, and I was able to get him into a good position just off the lead," Ortiz said. "He's a classy horse, and I just tried to keep his attention through the wire. He was pretty straightforward to ride today and finished up well."
Trainer Brad Cox was pleased with Further Ado's return to the winner's circle.
"He broke very well today, which is something he didn't do quite as well in the Derby," Cox said. "He was able to put himself right into the race, and he finished up very well with a big run."
Spendthrift Farm's Further Ado turned it up heading into the stretch, leaving his rivals to duke it out for the place and show as he steadily pulled away under a confident Ortiz. Corona de Oro looked like he might stay up for second as he moved with Further Ado into the final turn, but faded to fifth. Louisiana-bred Our Moneyman held on for second; Taptastic and Potente made late runs to finish third and fourth, respectively.
Prior to Further Ado's 11th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, he dominated the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, winning by 11 lengths.
"We've had this race as a target after the Derby, and he came into it training well," Cox said. "We felt like this was a good stepping stone to try something like the (July 18) Haskell (G1) at Monmouth next."
The final time for the 1 1/16-mile race over a fast track was 1:41.26. The time is the second-fastest time in the history of the race, only behind his sire Gun Runner, who holds the record at 1:41.12.
Further Ado paid $3.38 to win. He improved his career record to 4-1-1 from eight career starts with earnings of $1,446,958.
The son of Gun Runner was bred by prominent breeder and owner John Oxley out of his graded stakes-placed homebred mare Sky Dreamer, and purchased by Tammy and Eric Gustavson's Spendthrift Farm for $550,000 at the 2025 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.
