Further Ado Returns to Winning Ways in Matt Winn Stakes

June 7th, 2026 by Olivia Newman

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Matt Winn Stakes, Churchill Downs, Further Ado, Irad Ortiz, Brad Cox, Spendthrift Farm, Our Moneyman, Potente, Taptastic, Kentucky Derby, Gun Runner, jockey, trainer, Haskell Stakes, horse racing, ABR

Further Ado, with Irad Ortiz Jr. riding, won the Matt Winn Stakes June 7 at Churchill Downs, improving his career record to four wins in eight starts. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Rebounding from his Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve disappointment where he was the beaten favorite, Spendthrift Farm’s Further Ado returned to his winning ways with a handy two-length victory in the June 7 $500,000, Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs.

The son of Gun Runner, sent off as the 0.69-1 favorite with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard for the 1 1/16-mile race, broke alertly angled back in to track the speedy Pavlovian before taking the lead in the far turn. Further Ado turned it up heading into the stretch, leaving his rivals to duke it out for the place and show as he steadily pulled away under a confident Ortiz. Louisiana-bred Our Moneyman held on for second; Taptastic and Potente made late runs to finish third and fourth, respectively.

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The final time over a fast track was 1:41.26. That time is the second-fastest in the history of the Matt Winn, only behind Further Ado’s sire Gun Runner, who holds the record at 1:41.12.

Ortiz, who had been aboard Further Ado in five of his first six career starts, returned to ride the chestnut colt in the Matt Winn after opting to ride Renegade in the Kentucky Derby.

“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.”

Trainer Brad Cox was pleased with Further Ado’s return to the winner’s circle.

“He broke very well today, which is something he didn’t do quite as well in the Derby,” Cox said. “He was able to put himself right into the race, and he finished up very well with a big run.”

Prior to Further Ado’s 11^th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby at favored 5.05-1 odds, he dominated the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, winning by 11 lengths.

“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 stepping stone to try something like the Haskell Stakes (July 18) at Monmouth Park next.”

Further Ado improved his career record to 4-1-1 from eight career starts with earnings of $1,446,958.