Further Ado wins $1.25M Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland

Colt ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. wins by 11 lengths, earns 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points

Apr. 5, 2026 at 12:09am

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Further Ado, ridden by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., won the $1.25 million Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland by 11 lengths on Saturday. The colt, trained by Brad Cox, ran the 1 1/8 mile race in 1:49.58 and earned 100 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby on May 2.

Why it matters

The Blue Grass Stakes is one of the major prep races for the Kentucky Derby, with the winner earning a significant number of qualifying points. Further Ado's dominant performance establishes him as a top contender for the Run for the Roses.

The details

Further Ado, a son of 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner, paid $3.70 to win. Ottinho finished second, earning 50 Derby qualifying points, while Talkin took third for 25 points. Creole Chrome and Great White rounded out the top five.

  • The Blue Grass Stakes took place on April 5, 2026.

The players

Further Ado

A colt who won the $1.25 million Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, earning 100 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby.

Irad Ortiz Jr.

The jockey who rode Further Ado to victory in the Blue Grass Stakes.

Brad Cox

The trainer of Further Ado, who won the Blue Grass Stakes.

Ottinho

The horse that finished second in the Blue Grass Stakes, earning 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

Talkin

The horse that finished third in the Blue Grass Stakes, earning 25 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

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What’s next

Later on April 5, 2026, the $750,000 Wood Memorial and $500,000 Santa Anita Derby will award additional Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

The takeaway

Further Ado's dominant performance in the Blue Grass Stakes establishes him as a top contender for the Kentucky Derby, with the colt earning a significant number of qualifying points toward the Run for the Roses.