Churchill Downs Update and Stakes Advances: Impressive 20-Length Maiden Winner Further Ado Headlines $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club on Road to the Kentucky Derby

Nov 22, 2025

The Road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve returns to Churchill Downs next Saturday where Spendthrift Farm’s dominant maiden special weight winner Further Ado is set to test stakes company in the 99th running of the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (Grade II).

The 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Jockey Club is the featured race on the Stars of Tomorrow II program that features 12 races all for 2-year-olds. The program, which started in 2005, has produced more than 50 Grade I winners including Kentucky Derby winners Sovereignty (2025), Mystik Dan (2024), Mandaloun (2021) and Super Saver (2010). The Kentucky Jockey Club field will go to post in Race 10 at 5:25 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post is 1 p.m.

Further Ado, trained by Brad Cox, scored a scintillating 20-length victory last month at Keeneland when testing two turns for the first time. A chestnut son of Gun Runner, Further Ado drew attention in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager where he closed as the fourth individual favorite at 21-1 behind Ted Noffey (10-1), Brant (14-1) and Blackout Time (20-1). Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. will have the return mount for Saturday’s race and break from post No. 6.

Trainer Kenny McPeek entered a duo of promising 2-year-olds in Saturday’s race: Street Sense (Grade III) second and third place finishers, respectively, Universe and Very Connected.

4 G Racing, Gregg Day, Steven Crain and Magdalena Racing’s Universe was sent off as the 7-5 favorite in the Street Sense where he was defeated 2 ¾ lengths by Incredibolt. The son of Global Campaign will be ridden from post 7 under Brian Hernandez Jr.

Dream Big Racing’s Very Connected finished 2 ¼ lengths behind his stablemate in the Street Sense. A son of Connect, Very Connected will have the services of Manny Esquivel in Saturday’s race from post 5.

McPeek is a three-time winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club with previous victories in the race coming from Repent (2001), Signalman (2018) and Smile Happy (2021).

Another top competitor entered in the Kentucky Jockey Club is St. Elias Stable’s Soldier N Diplomat, who dominated a first-level allowance contest by nine lengths under jockey Tyler Gaffalione. Trained by three-time Kentucky Jockey Club-winning conditioner Steve Asmussen, Soldier N Diplomat broke his maiden at first asking on July 26 at Saratoga. Following his fourth-place finish to Ted Noffey in the Hopeful (GI), Soldier N Diplomat returned to the winner’s circle on Oct. 26 at Churchill Downs while stretching out to a mile in the aforementioned first-level allowance. Gaffalione rides from post 4.

Asmussen also entered Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Spice Runner in the race. The winner of the Iroquois (GIII) to kick off the Road to Kentucky Derby 152, the son of Gun Runner will attempt to avenge his fifth-place finish in last month’s Breeders’ Futurity (GI). He’ll be ridden by Joel Rosario out of post 1.

Asmussen’s prior victories in the race were with Private Vow (2005), Tapiture (2013) and Silver Prospector (2019).

The field for the Kentucky Jockey Club in order of post position (with jockey and trainer):

Spice Runner (Joel Rosario, Asmussen)
Cherokee Nation (Flavien Prat, Bob Baffert)
Dr. Kapur (Jose Ortiz, Saffie Joseph Jr.)
Soldier N Diplomat (Gaffalione, Asmussen)
Very Connected (Esquivel, McPeek)
Futher Ado (Irad Ortiz Jr., Cox)
Universe (Hernandez, McPeek)
The Kentucky Jockey Club will award the top five finishers qualifying points based on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale for the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) on May 2. One race earlier, the Road to the Kentucky Oaks will roll through Churchill Downs for the $400,000 Golden Rod (GII). Other stakes on the card are the $225,000 Ed Brown and $225,000 Fern Creek.

Fans can watch and wager on all the action from Churchill Downs on www.twinspires.com, the official wagering platform of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

EXPLORA INVADES FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOR $400,000 GOLDEN ROD – Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman’s talented 2-year-old filly Explora is set to invade Churchill Downs from Southern California where she’ll face 12 rivals entered in next Saturday’s 82nd running of the $400,000 Golden Rod (Grade II), a “Prep Season” event on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

The Golden Rod, run at 1 1/16 miles, will award the top five finishers qualifying points based on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale for the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) on May 1. The Golden Rod will share the Saturday spotlight with the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII), $225,000 Ed Brown and $225,000 Fern Creek.

Explora enters the Golden Rod fresh off a runner-up effort to Super Corredora in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI). Prior to that race, the daughter of Blame was a dominant 4 ¼-length victor of the Oak Leaf (GII) at Santa Anita and was second to Bottle of Rouge in the Del Mar Debutante (GI). Jockey Flavien Prat has the mount for the Golden Rod and will exit post No. 12.

One of her rivals in the race is Rags to Riches (Listed) winner Life of Joy. Owned by Will Stroud, Andrew Farm, Mountmellick Farm and For The People Racing Stable, the undefeated Life of Joy jumped on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks when she won last month’s Rags to Riches by 2 ¼ lengths over The Grumpy Rabbit. Trained by Brad Cox, who won this race last year with eventual Kentucky Oaks winner Good Cheer, Life of Joy will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. from post 6.

The Golden Rod field also includes Edwin Anthony’s Rags to Riches runner-up The Grumpy Rabbit; Belladonna Racing, Twin Brook Stables, Woodford Racing and B.C.W.T.’s 10-length maiden special weight winner Atropa; and trainer Brendan Walsh’s duo of Godolphin’s maiden special weight winner Bella Ballerina and Heider Family Stables’ recent allowance winner Baracca.

The field for the Golden Rod from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Baracca (Axel Concepcion, Walsh)
Essential Coffee (Corey Lanerie, Steve Asmussen)
Just Singing (Luan Machado, Kent Sweezy)
Vita Mia (Junior Alvarado, Armando De La Cerda)
Letmecounttheways (Joel Rosario, Mike Maker)
Life of Joy (Irad Ortiz Jr., Cox)
Raspberry (Luis Saez, Whit Beckman)
Wonzee Weather (Chase Miller, Darrin Miller)
Atropa (Jose Ortiz, Cherie DeVaux)
Coco Connect (Adam Beschizza, John Ennis)
Bella Ballerina (Tyler Gaffalione, Walsh)
Explora (Prat, Baffert)
The Grumpy Rabbit (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek)
IMPRESSIVE BOWMAN MILL WINNER GALLIVANT RETURNS FOR $225,000 ED BROWN – LNJ Foxwoods’ impressive Bowman Mill Stakes winner Gallivant is set to return to action against five 2-year-olds entered in next Saturday’s fifth running of the $225,000 Ed Brown Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Contested at 6 ½ furlongs, the Ed Brown features a competitive field of sprinters including well-regarded maiden winners Boyd and Stradale along with allowance winner Ganaas. Aside from the Ed Brown, Saturday’s 12-race card also includes the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII), $400,000 Golden Rod (GII) and $225,000 Fern Creek. The Ed Brown goes as Race 4 at 2:24 p.m. First post is 1 p.m.

Gallivant, trained by Ben Colebrook, broke his maiden in the Oct. 25 Bowman Mill when he crushed three rivals by six lengths under Luan Machado. Prior to that start, he finished third in a Keeneland maiden special weight to the Todd Pletcher-trained Local Knowledge. Machado has the return call for the Ed Brown and drew the rail.

Chief amongst his rivals in the race appears to be Zedan Racing Stable’s Boyd, who cruised to a 5 ¾-length debut win on Sept. 7 at Del Mar under Tyler Gaffalione for trainer Bob Baffert. A son of Violence, Boyd was a $1,050,000 purchase from this year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale. He’ll be ridden in Saturday’s race by Flavien Prat from post No. 6.

Shadwell Stable’s Ganaas will attempt to return to the winner’s circle following his fifth-place finish in the Street Sense (GIII) when he tested two turns. The son of War Front dominated his debut on July 10 at Horseshoe Indianapolis by four lengths, then returned two months later to an easy 5 ¼-length allowance win at Churchill Downs. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount in the Ed Brown from post 4.

Kaleem Shah’s Stradale turned heads when he broke his maiden by 5 ½ lengths on Stars of Tomorrow I at Churchill Downs going six furlongs. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Stradale has been well regarded in three of his first four starts, going off as the post time favorite. His lone start where he wasn’t favored was when he tested two turns in the Champagne (GI) and finished fifth. Jockey Joel Rosario will pick up the mount in the Ed Brown from post 5.

The field for the Ed Brown from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Gallivant (Machado, Colebrook)
Bobrovsky (Junior Alvarado, Dale Romans)
Big Dom (Jose Ortiz, Tom Amoss)
Ganaas (Tyler Gaffalione, Andrew McKeever)
Stradale (Rosario, Asmussen)
Boyd (Prat, Baffert)
UNDEFEATED 2-YEAR-OLD FILLY A FINE CHARDONNAY HEADLINES $225,000 FERN CREEK – Double 22 Stables’ undefeated filly A Fine Chardonnay will lead a competitive field of 10 juvenile filly sprinters entered in next Saturday’s $225,000 Fern Creek Stakes, one of four stakes contests on the Stars of Tomorrow II program at Churchill Downs.

The Fern Creek, run at 6 ½ furlongs for 2-year-old fillies, is part of a stakes quartet and shares the spotlight with the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII), $400,000 Golden Rod (GII) and $225,000 Ed Brown. First post is 1 p.m. (all times Eastern) with the Fern Creek field going to post at 4:25 p.m. in Race 8.

A Fine Chardonnay, trained by Ian Wilkes, is unbeaten in two starts. She won her Sept. 11 debut at Churchill Downs at odds of 45-1. Following her upset victory, the daughter of Maclean’s Music tried stakes company in the Myrtlewood at Keeneland where she scored a one-length win. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who was aboard for her Myrtlewood victory, will have the return mount and break from post No. 6.

Chief among her rivals are the Myrtlewood second and third place finishers, On Time Girl and Woodstock, respectively.

On Time Girl, owned by Albaugh Family Stable and trained by Brad Cox, finished a length behind A Fine Chardonnay as the 2-1 favorite. The daughter of Not This Time won her debut by 2 ½ lengths in early August at Ellis Park and then cruised to a four-length score in a first-level allowance on Sept. 11 at Churchill Downs. She’ll be ridden in the Fern Creek by Irad Ortiz Jr. from post 7.

Paradise Farms Corp, David Staudacher, Gata Racing Stable and Turman Racing Stable’s Woodstock finished 1 ¼ lengths behind A Fine Chardonnay in the Myrtlewood. Prior to that race, the daughter of Yaupon dominated the E.L. Gaylord Memorial Stakes by 10 lengths at Remington Park. Trained by Mike Maker, Woodstock will be ridden in the Fern Creek by Gabe Saez out of post 3.

The field for the Fern Creek from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Solemn Vow (Brian Hernandez Jr., Al Stall Jr.)
Paige Turner (Jose Ortiz, Cherie DeVaux)
Woodstock (Gabe Saez, Maker)
Have Faith (Cristian Torres, Dallas Stewart)
River Rise (Axel Concepcion, Glenn Wismer)
A Fine Chardonnay (Gaffalione, Wilkes)
On Time Girl (Irad Ortiz Jr., Cox)
Go to Girl (Flavien Prat, Kenny McPeek)
Mackinac (Luis Saez, Rusty Arnold II)
I B Flyin (Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen)
$350,000 BREEDERS BONUS AVAILABLE ON STARS OF TOMORROW II – A $350,000 bonus will be awarded to breeders of record for horses competing on Stars of Tomorrow II Day at Churchill Downs on Saturday, Nov. 29, in conjunction with the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and the Kentucky HBPA.

Breeders will compete for nearly $30,000 in bonuses across each of the 12 races on Stars of Tomorrow II. The winner of each race is eligible for a possible $16,333 for registered Kentucky-bred horses.

Payments will be based on a purse-style distribution: 56% to the winner, 20% to second, 10% to third, 5% to fourth and 3% to fifth. Sixth through last will receive 1.5%.

The bonus is in addition to the traditional breeder’s awards.

Breeders can receive hospitality accommodations at Churchill Downs by calling the Churchill Downs Horsemen’s Service Center at (502) 636-4830.

DERBY CITY 6 JACKPOT STANDS AT $174,134 FOR SATURDAY’S CARD – Saturday’s Derby City 6 Jackpot will give horseplayers a chance to score a six-figure payday with the carryover standing at $174,134 for the 11-race card.

The Derby City 6 Jackpot, which challenges bettors to have the only winning combination to take down the jackpot, has a 20-cent denomination with a low 15 percent takeout. If there are multiple winning combinations, 90 percent of the daily pool will be paid out with the remaining 10 percent going to the carryover.

Saturday’s sequence: (with scratches as of 10 a.m. ET)

Race 6 (3:26 p.m.): MC 50000, 2yo f, 6 ½ F (12 runners)
Race 7 (3:55 p.m.): Clm 30000b, f&m, 1 1/16 M (nine runners)
Race 8 (4:25 p.m.): Mdn 120k, 2yo f, 6 ½ F (seven runners)
Race 9 (4:55 p.m.): Clm 50000n2L, 3&up, 7 F (10 runners)
Race 10 (5:25 p.m.): $300,000 Commonwealth Turf (GIII), 3yo, 1 1/16 M (T) (10 runners)
Race 11 (5:55 p.m.): Alw 50000s, 2yo, 1 1/16 M (eight runners)
The main track was listed as muddy to start the day on Saturday and the turf was listed as firm.

DOWN THE STRETCH – Trainer Greg Foley was one win away from 500 victories at Churchill Downs. He had one entry on Saturday’s program in Race 10. … Trainer Brad Cox needs six wins to reach 500 victories at Churchill Downs. He had entries in Races 6, 10 and 11 on Saturday. … Al Stall Jr. was one win away from 300 Churchill Downs wins. He had entries in Races 5 and 6 on Saturday. … Only seven days of racing remain in 2025 at Churchill Downs. For more information, visit www.churchilldowns.com.