By Alan Carasso
After sweeping the juvenile Grade I features on FallStars Weekend with 'TDN Rising Stars' Presented by Hagyard Tommy Jo (Into Mischief) in the Darley Alcibiades Stakes and Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) in the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity, Spendthrift Farm cut loose another potential player in the juvenile division when Further Ado (c, 2, Gun Runner–Sky Dreamer, by Sky Mesa) shot away from his overmatched rivals to break his maiden by a jaw-dropping 20 lengths when making his first two-turn appearance Friday afternoon at Keeneland.
For the effort, the striking chestnut colt earns 'Rising Star' honors of his own.
The 11-5 favorite off a distant third-place effort to recent GI Champagne Stakes runner-up Talkin (Good Magic) going seven furlongs at Saratoga back on Aug. 30, chestnut colt was ridden forward by Irad Ortiz, Jr. to press the pace just to the outside of the rail-drawn 11-2 Brave Force (Gun Runner) through crisp fractions of :23.17 and :47.10.
Matching motors with that rival into the turn while beginning to put space on the rest of the field, Further Ado was allowed to stride into the lead at the quarter pole with his rider asking him for no effort whatsoever and the colt careered away impressively in the short stretch while covering the 8 1/2-furlong distance in a slick 1:43.52.
According to the Gmax chart, Further Ado got his final eighth of a mile in :12.45 seconds and his final sixteenth of a mile in :6.39. Vino Vici (Vino Rosso), a latest third to 'Rising Star' Big Dom (McKinzie) at Saratoga Aug. 23, finished a yawning 3.4 seconds behind Further Ado in second.
A $275,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, Further Ado was hammered down to the Spendthrift braintrust for $550,000 after breezing a quarter-mile in :21 1/5 at this year's OBS April Sale, doing his best work through the wire.
John Oxley campaigned Further Ado's third dam, Beautiful Pleasure–a full-sister to Grade I-winning turfer Mecke–to 10 career victories and an Eclipse Award in 1999 after taking out that year's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Gulfstream Park.
Covered by Oxley's GI Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos, Beautiful Pleasure produced Further Ado's second dam To Dream About in 2004, and while she failed to face the starter, she has contributed in a material way to the family. Her foal of 2014, Dream Dancing (Tapit), won the GI Del Mar Oaks in the yellow-and-pale-blue checks of her breeder and has since become the dam of Dreamaway (Flameaway), winner of the 2024 Colleen Stakes.
Sky Dreamer was one of three additional black-type horses for To Dream About, having finished second in the GIII Arlington Oaks in 2012 before producing Kimbear (Temple City, $807,269) as her first foal. Runner-up in the GIII Laz Barrera Stakes in this country, the latter went on to become a two-time winner at group level in Dubai. Her current yearling colt by Justify was sold for $150,000 at KEESEP last month and she foaled a colt by Maxfield this season before being bred back to Flameaway.
The cross of Gun Runner over Sky Mesa is now responsible for 10 winners from 14 runners.
8th-Keeneland, $110,000, Msw, 10-10, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.52, ft, 20 lengths.
FURTHER ADO, c, 2, by Gun Runner
1st Dam: Sky Dreamer (GSP-US, MSP-Can, $176,065), by Sky Mesa
2nd Dam: To Dream About, by Monarchos
3rd Dam: Beautiful Pleasure, by Maudlin
Sales history: $275,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP; $550,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 3-1-0-1, $78,233. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-John C Oxley (KY); T-Brad H Cox.
FURTHER ADO ($6.48) bids the field 👋🏼 adieu as he and @iradortiz dominate in Race 8 at @keenelandracing for @bradcoxracing and @spendthriftfarm. Another winner by Gun Runner, who stands at @Three_Chimneys.
💵 Play Keeneland with @FanDuel Racing.https://t.co/crebR4OEDC pic.twitter.com/x8P1Ic0eoK
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) October 10, 2025
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