(Further Ado / Photos by Holly M. Smith)

From the Churchill Downs Media Team / Darren Rogers:

KENTUCKY DERBY FAVORITE FURTHER ADO RETURNS IN $500,000 MATT WINN

 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Sunday, May 31, 2026) – Spendthrift Farm’s Blue Grass Stakes (Grade I) winner Further Ado headlines a talented field of eight 3-year-olds entered in next Sunday’s 29th running of the $500,000 Matt Winn Stakes (GIII) at Churchill Downs.

Contested at 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-olds, the Matt Winn shares the Sunday spotlight with the $225,000 Leslie’s Lady Stakes, featuring multiple graded stakes winners Explora and On Time Girl. First post for the nine-race program is 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern) with the Matt Winn scheduled as Race 8 at 4:22 p.m. and the Leslie’s Lady carded as Race 6 at 3:18 p.m.

Trained by Brad Cox, Further Ado crushed the field by 11 lengths in the Blue Grass prior to his disappointing 11th-place finish as the 5-1 favorite in the Kentucky Derby 152. The chestnut son of Gun Runner also won the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (GII) at Churchill Downs by 1 ¾ lengths. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call from post No. 7.

Further Ado will face two fellow Derby rivals: Speedway Stables’ 12th-place finisher Potente and Reddam Racing’s 18th-place finisher Pavlovian.

Potente, trained by Bob Baffert, won the San Felipe (GII) by a head over Robusta and finished second to So Happy in the Santa Anita Derby (GII). He’ll break from post 2 with Florent Geroux.

Drawn one spot to his outside is Pavlovian. Trained by Doug O’Neill, Pavlovian defeated Express Kid by a scant nose in the Sunland Derby (Listed) prior to his runner-up effort behind Emerging Market in the TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (GII). Luis Saez has the call.

          The lineup for the Matt Winn in order of post position (with jockey and trainer):

  • Stop the Car (Tyler Gaffalione, Brendan Walsh)
  • Potente (Geroux, Baffert)
  • Pavlovian (Luis Saez, Doug O’Neill)
  • Our Moneyman (Axel Concepcion, Bret Calhoun)
  • Corona de Oro (Brian Hernandez Jr., Dallas Stewart)
  • Taptastic (Jose Ortiz, Steve Asmussen)
  • Further Ado (Irad Ortiz Jr., Cox)
  • Steel Imperium (Vincent Cheminaud, Caio Caramori)

ON TIME GIRL SET TO CLASH WITH EXPLORA IN LESLIE’S LADY – Albaugh Family Stables’ Eight Belles (Grade II) winner On Time Girl will face six 3-year-old filly rivals, including Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman’s multiple graded stakes winner Explora, in next Sunday’s fourth running of the $225,000 Leslie’s Lady Stakes (Listed) at Churchill Downs.

The Leslie’s Lady, run at seven furlongs, is scheduled as Race 6 on the nine-race card with a post time of 3:18 p.m. (all times Eastern). The race shares the Sunday spotlight with the 29th running of the $500,000 Matt Winn Stakes (GIII). First post is 12:45 p.m.

On Time Girl, trained by Brad Cox, rallied for a 1 ½-length score in the Eight Belles on the undercard of the Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI). A daughter of Not This Time, On Time Girl has won five of seven starts with additional stakes victories in the Forward Gal (GIII), Fern Creek and Myrtlewood. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount and will break from post No. 6.

Drawn in post 3 is Explora. Trained by Bob Baffert, Explora set the pace in the Kentucky Oaks before weakening late to finish fourth. The daughter of Blame finished second to Super Corredora in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) prior to victories in the Santa Ynez (Listed) and Honeybee (GIII). Florent Geroux has the call.

The Leslie’s Lady field also includes Double 22 Stables’ Beaumont Stakes (GII) winner A Fine Chardonnay; Sun-Kissed Stables and Bobby Flay’s Santa Anita Oaks (GII) runner-up Brooklyn Blonde; and LNJ Foxwoods and NK Racing’s Beaumont runner-up Sneaky Good.

The field for the Leslie’s Lady from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

  • A Fine Chardonnay (Brian Hernandez Jr., Ian Wilkes)
  • Shilling (Manny Esquivel, Kenny McPeek)
  • Explora (Geroux, Baffert)
  • Sneaky Good (Jose Ortiz, Cox)
  • Have Faith (Cristian Torres, Dallas Stewart)
  • On Time Girl (Irad Ortiz Jr., Cox)
  • Brooklyn Blonde (Luis Saez, Michael McCarthy)

DOWN THE STRETCH – Sunday’s 10-race card at Churchill Downs had a first post of 12:45 p.m. and included a $107,872 carryover in the 20-cent Derby City 6 Jackpot that spanned Races 5-10. Also, the $1 Jackpot 8 had a $104,929 carryover in Race 10. … Following dark days Monday and Tuesday, live racing resumes Wednesday for a nine-race card beginning at 12:45 p.m. … Louisville’s I-65 Central Corridor Project that begins Monday may impact travel to Churchill Downs for select guests during the final four weeks of the Spring Meet. Information, detours and key directions to Churchill Downs can be found online at https://www.churchilldowns.com/come-to-the-track/visiting-information/travel-parking/. … For the latest information about the Churchill Downs Spring Meet, visit www.churchilldowns.com.

ABOUT CHURCHILL DOWNS RACETRACK

Churchill Downs Racetrack (“CDRT”), the world’s most legendary racetrack, has been the home of The Kentucky Derby, the longest continually held annual sporting event in the United States, since 1875. Located in Louisville, CDRT features a series of themed race days during Derby Week, including the Kentucky Oaks, and conducts Thoroughbred horse racing during three race meets in the Spring, September, and the Fall. CDRT is located on 175 acres and has a one-mile dirt track, a 7/8-mile turf track, a stabling area, and provides seating for approximately 60,000 guests. The stable area has barns sufficient to accommodate 1,400 horses and a 114-room dormitory for backstretch personnel. CDRT also has a year-round simulcast wagering facility.www.ChurchillDowns.com.