Further Ado (foaled March 15, 2023) is a Grade I winning American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2026 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. Background Further Ado is a chestnut colt who was bred in Kentucky by John Oxley out of the Grade III-placed Sky Mesa mare Sky Dreamer. John Oxley had bought Sky Mesa as a yearling at the 2001 Keeneland's September Yearling Sale. As a two-year-old Sky Mesa won the 2002 Grade I Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga Racetrack. The dam, Sky Dreamer (foaled January 23, 2009) was also bred by John Oxley and ran all of races in Woodbine except for the one start in the US, at Arlington Park in the Grade III Arlington Oaks where she finished second to La Tia.

Further Ado was initially purchased by George Mellon in the fall of 2024 at Keeneland's September Yearling Sale for $275,000. He in turn sent the juvenile to the 2025 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training on consignment to Six K's Training & Sales who sold him to Spendthrift Farm for US$550,000.

Further Ado's sire is Gun Runner who stands at Three Chimneys Farm for US$250,000 in 2026.

Further Ado is trained by US Champion trainer Brad H. Cox.

Statistics Date Distance Race Grade Track Odds Field Finish WinningTime Winning(Losing)Margin Jockey Ref2025 – Two-year-old season 6 furlongs Maiden Special Weight Saratoga 2.45 8 5 1:11.87 ( lengths) 7 furlongs Maiden Special Weight Saratoga 4.60 8 3 1:23.63 ( lengths) miles Maiden Special Weight Keeneland 2.24 7 1 1:43.52 20 lengths miles Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes II Churchill Downs 0.71* 7 1 1:43.33 lengths 2026 – Three-year-old season miles Tampa Bay Derby III Tampa Bay Downs 2.00 9 2 1:43.23 ( length) miles Blue Grass Stakes I Keeneland 0.85* 7 1 1:49.58 11 lengths miles Kentucky Derby I Churchill Downs 5.05* 18 11 2:02.27 ( lengths) miles Matt Winn Stakes III Churchill Downs 0.69* 8 1 1:41.26 2 lengths miles Haskell Stakes I Monmouth Park 1.10* 7 5 1:50.18 ( lengths) miles Pennsylvania Derby I Parx 2.00* 11 2 1:49.10 ( lengths)

Notes:

An (*) asterisk after the odds means Further Ado was the post-time favourite.

Pedigree

References