Spendthrift Farm's Further Ado (Gun Runner), last seen finishing a disappointing 11th as the favorite in the GI Kentucky Derby, got some consolation under the Twin Spires with an authoritative victory in the GIII Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs Sunday.
Sent off the 3-5 favorite, Further Ado broke sharply and tracked pacesetting Pavlovian (Pavel) through a moderate quarter in :23.69 and a quickened half in :46.69. Further Ado coasted easily to the lead midway on the far turn and turned for home two lengths in front through three-quarters in 1:10.62. The favorite was never challenged from there as Our Moneyman (Mr. Money) chased him home in second.
Further Ado's final time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:41.26, the second-fastest Matt Winn only behind his sire, Gun Runner's 1:41.12 in 2016.
“He broke very well today, which is something he didn't do quite as well in the Derby,” said winning trainer Brad Cox. “He was able to put himself right into the race and he finished up very well with a big run.”
Irad Ortiz, Jr., who took off the Derby favorite to ride Renegade to a runner-up finish on the first Saturday in May, returned to ride Further Ado Sunday.
“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.”
Further Ado's next target will likely be the July 18 GI Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park.
“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 steppingstone to try something like the GI Haskell at Monmouth next.”
Tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' after an eye-popping 20-length romp at Keeneland last season, Further Ado ended his juvenile campaign with a win in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. He opened 2026 with a runner-up effort in the Mar. 7 GIII Tampa Bay Derby before romping home an 11-length winner of the Apr. 4 GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes.
Pedigree Notes:
Further Ado was bred by John Oxley and his third dam is Oxley's champion mare Beautiful Pleasure. His dam, Sky Dreamer, a half-sister to Grade I winner Dream Dancing (Tapit), has a 2-year-old colt by Justify who sold to AMO Racing for $250,000 at the OBS March sale earlier this year, and a yearling colt by Maxfield. The mare was bred to Flameaway last year.
broke sharp, took it to 'em and said to the G3 Matt Winn field @ChurchillDowns!
Jockey @iradortiz scores a riding triple. The 3YO colt by Gun Runner is trained by @bradcoxracing for owner @spendthriftfarm.#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/3mnqGllun1
— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) June 7, 2026
Sunday, Churchill Downs
MATT WINN S.-GIII, $489,665, Churchill Downs, 6-7, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:41.26, ft.
1–FURTHER ADO, 123, c, 3, by Gun Runner
1st Dam: Sky Dreamer (GSP-USA, MSP-Can, $176,065), by Sky Mesa
2nd Dam: To Dream About, by Monarchos
3rd Dam: Beautiful Pleasure, by Maudlin
($275,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP; $550,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR). 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard'. O-Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-John C. Oxley (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $300,630. Lifetime Record: GISW, 8-4-1-1, $1,446,958. *1/2 to Kimbear (Temple City), MGSW-UAE, GSP-USA, $807,269. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Our Moneyman, 118, c, 3, Mr. Money–Lipstick Junky, by Flatter. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Allied Racing Stable, LLC (LA); T-W. Bret Calhoun. $87,300.
3–Taptastic, 118, c, 3, Tapit–Valadorna, by Curlin.
O-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC and Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $48,650.
Margins: 2, 5HF, 4 1/4. Odds: 0.69, 14.87, 9.66.
Also Ran: Potente, Corona de Oro, Stop the Car, Pavlovian, Steel Imperium.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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