Additional Ado adopted up a placing maiden victory at Keeneland final month by producing a 1 3/4-length rating within the $400,000 Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Membership Stakes Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs.
Additional Ado’s house owners, Spendthrift Farm, already had one ace for the 2026 Kentucky Derby introduced by Woodford Reserve in presumptive champion 2-year-old Ted Noffey, who accomplished a 4-for-4 marketing campaign this yr when he took the Oct. 31 FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile introduced by TAA at Del Mar.
Now it appears they’ve a pair of aces, with Additional Ado including to Spendthrift’s enviable hand.
Saturday’s Kentucky Jockey Membership win did not come as simply as Additional Ado’s prior victory at Keeneland on Oct. 10 when he steamrolled the opposition by 20 lengths whereas racing up shut all through, but it surely nonetheless was promising. He defeated a gifted subject of 2-year-olds, doing so from a stalking place to reel in stretch chief Soldier N Diplomat, and he confirmed the power to deal with the floor at Churchill Downs, the place the Kentucky Derby might be contested on Could 2 of subsequent yr.
“Clearly when you’re attempting to get to the Derby, it is vital to carry out nicely right here at Churchill,” coach Brad Cox stated.
Vast-racing Additional Ado crossed the wire comfortably in entrance of late-charging Universe, who surged a half-length previous fatigued present finisher Soldier N Diplomat educated by Steve Asmussen.
“He was capable of present a special dimension at present,” jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. stated. “I used to be capable of let the velocity go and sit a fairly good journey. He needed to actually dig in late to get to the wire first. I believe this race will actually profit him down the highway.”
Additional Ado was clocked in 1:43.33, the quickest of 4 races at 1 1/16 miles on grime throughout an all-juvenile Saturday at Churchill Downs, although solely marginally so. Splits within the race have been :23.35, :46.76, and 1:10.84—set by Dr. Kapur, who would concede the result in a pace-chasing Soldier N Diplomat leaving the second flip.
Although his last time was fast, Additional Ado’s last sixteenth of a mile in :06.78 was not. This comparatively gradual cut up left Universe advancing on him late, and Universe soared inside him on the gallop out. Universe raced large into the second flip earlier than drifting inward down the stretch.
“I believe we have to get a little bit bit luckier along with his journey,” stated Universe‘s coach, Kenny McPeek.
Additional Ado now has a report of 2-0-1 in 4 begins and his earnings stand at $320,703. He’s excellent in two routes.
Very Related, one other McPeek trainee, completed fourth. Bob Baffert-trained Cherokee Nation, who was intimidated and shuffled again in a scramble to the primary flip, ran fifth.
The Kentucky Jockey Membership supplied qualifying factors towards subsequent yr’s Kentucky Derby on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale to its prime 5 finishers. Churchill Downs makes use of qualifying factors to advertise the race and as a choice system when the Derby lures greater than its capability subject measurement of 20 starters.
Whereas Cox didn’t instantly specify which races he would goal with Additional Ado subsequent yr, he did point out that with the colt’s 10 Derby factors, a two-race marketing campaign previous to the Derby is probably going. Cox is anticipated to coach Additional Ado at Payson Park this winter. Although Cox stables at that South Florida coaching middle, he has proven a willingness to ship his prime grime horses to Honest Grounds Race Course in Louisiana or Oaklawn Park in Arkansas for stakes races. He additionally runs horses at Gulfstream Park in Florida.
Ted Noffey is being aimed towards a Gulfstream Park marketing campaign this winter and spring for coach Todd Pletcher.
Bella Ballerina is now formally on the path to the 2026 Longines Kentucky Oaks with a victory Nov. 29 within the $397,375 Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs for coach Brendan Walsh with jockey Tyler Gaffalione aboard.
Bella Ballerina sat comfortably off fractions of :23.45, :46.31, and 1:11.19 set by runaway chief Letmecounttheways, who opened up on the sector early. Bella Ballerina then took command with ease within the stretch and held off the late rallies of runner-up Atropa and Simply Singing, who settled for third. She gained by a half a size in a time of 1:43.50 and paid $10.28 to win.
Bella Ballerina’s first graded rating got here in her first begin round two turns. Exiting a 4 1/4-length debut win at Keeneland Oct. 5 at six furlongs, Walsh was assured that the filly might deal with the added floor at second asking.
“She’s obtained a pedigree to remain” Walsh stated. “She ought to enhance so much and roll on subsequent yr.”
Together with her victory, Bella Ballerina earned 10 qualifying factors on the Highway to the Kentucky Oaks as the highest 5 finishers obtained factors on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale.
“It is vital to have a race over this racetrack when you suppose you could have a filly ok that you just need to level towards the Oaks,” Godolphin possession spokesman Michael Banahan stated. “Tremendous spectacular effort from the filly, and we are able to do a little bit of dreaming right here within the wintertime within the Oaks.” — Sean Collins
