Further Ado

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...

There might be a touch of malaise come Sunday, but the GIII Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs for 3-year-olds is the way to revive any Belmont Stakes reveler with the proper racing tonic. Add in a pair of competitive graded grass races at the Spa for good measure and Sunday's higher level slate should make things right as rain. In the Matt Winn, a trio of GI Kentucky Derby entrants will get another crack at the surface that was less than kind to them on the first Saturday in...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Kentucky Derby 152 goes through Spendthrift Farm. Further Ado (Gun Runner) will carry Spendthrift's famed orange-and-purple silks seeking a second Kentucky Derby victory for the operation off the heels of a daylight win with a field-best 106 Beyer Speed Figure in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. Spendthrift Farm's flagship sire Into Mischief, meanwhile, will have three chances at a fourth Kentucky Derby victory. He will be very well-represented by 4-1 morning-line favorite and GI Arkansas Derby winner Renegade (Into Mischief), GI Curlin Florida Derby winner Commandment...

TDN's Chief Correspondent Bill Finley is joined by Senior Contributing Editor Alan Carasso and Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack to handicap Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. FINLEY: The Puma (Essential Quality) is Mage (Good Magic) 2.0. From the same team that won the GI Kentucky Derby in 2023 with Mage, The Puma is following the exact same pattern. He finished an improved second in the GI Curlin Florida Derby and now looks ready to take another step forward, one that can land him in the winner's circle Saturday...

The field for the GI Kentucky Derby, ranked in "likeliest winner" order followed by program number. On Wednesday #13 Silent Tactic (Tacitus) scratched with a foot bruise, allowing #21 Great White (Volatile) to draw in off the also-eligible list. 1) #6 COMMANDMENT (c, Into Mischief--Sippican Harbor, by Orb) O-Wathnan Racing; B-Lee Pokoik (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. Sales history: $485,000 RNA Wlg '23 FTKNOV; $475,000 RNA Ylg '24 FTSAUG; $500,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime record: GISW, 5-4-0-0, $1,017,339. Last start: WON Mar. 28 GI Florida Derby. Commandment rides a four-race win...

Jerry Bailey has won the GI Kentucky Derby twice and has provided expert analysis on the NBC broadcast of the race for years. So who better to join the TDN Writers' Room podcast team for its annual Derby handicapping show than the Hall of Fame jockey? The podcast is presented by Keeneland and Bailey was the Gainesway Guest of the Week. Much of the talk after the draw centered around morning-line favorite Renegade (Into Mischief) getting the one hole. Bailey doesn't think that will be a problem. "I know the...

Trainer Brad Cox's trio of Kentucky Derby hopefuls--Commandment (Into Mischief), Fulleffort (Liam's Map) and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard,' Further Ado (Gun Runner)--highlighted a bustling morning at Churchill Downs a week out from Derby 152. Working during the 7:15-7:30 (all times Eastern) training period reserved for Kentucky Derby and Oaks prospects, the Cox trio was joined by Chester Broman's Right to Party (Constitution) (five furlongs in 1:01.20) for trainer Kenny McPeek. For Team Cox the group included Wathnan Racing's Commandment (five furlongs in 1:01.40 in company with the 4-year-old...

Renegade (Into Mischief), a spectacular, come-from-behind winner for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher in the GI Arkansas Derby, was tabbed as the 4-1 morning-line favorite despite drawing the rail in a field of 20 set for next Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Irad Ortiz, Jr. rides. Renegade, a $975,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, is campaigned in partnership by Repole Stable and breeders Robert and Lawana Low. Pletcher has won the Kentucky Derby twice with Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming (2017). The last horse to win the...

Has the time finally come to change the dates of the Triple Crown? In an article posted Apr. 13 on the Sports Business Journal website, it was reported that the GI Preakness Stakes would be pushed back a week to be held three weeks after the GI Kentucky Derby in 2027. Maryland Jockey Club President and General Manager Bill Knauf, however, quickly shot down the report and denied that any decision had been made regarding the date of next year's Preakness. Last year's Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief) famously...

Currently 16th on the 'Road To The Kentucky Derby' Leaderboard, the GIII Gotham Stakes winner Iron Honor (Nyquist) will bypass the 'Run for the Roses' and instead point to the 151st Preakness Stakes on Saturday, May 16 at Laurel Park, trainer Chad Brown told 1/ST Racing via a press release on Tuesday. "He's going to go to the Preakness," Brown, a two-time winner of the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown, said Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs. "The only thing is if something weird changes with the [Derby] field, a...

It truly is spring in Kentucky when the penultimate preps for the marquee event in May start rolling out, and so was the story Saturday morning as Albus (Yaupon) and Right to Party (Constitution) led the work tab for GI Kentucky Derby hopefuls at Churchill Downs. The top two from last month's GII Wood Memorial Stakes both went out Saturday morning with winner Albus spotted first for trainer Riey Mott. He breezed four panels in :49 flat (35/65) for his first move over the track since arriving at the venue...

With two weeks remaining until the first Saturday in May, trainer Brad Cox's Barn 22 was active Friday morning at Churchill Downs where his trio of contenders recorded their penultimate works for the GI Kentucky Derby. Meanwhile down in Florida on Thursday, Renegade (Into Mischief) got his preparations for the big day underway with his first move since winning the GI Arkansas Derby for trainer Todd Pletcher last month. In Louisville at 5:15 a.m. (all times Eastern), Wathnan Racing's GI Curlin Florida Derby winner Commandment (Into Mischief) breezed five furlongs...