Ted Noffey Records First Workout Since Breeders' Cup

Ted Noffey , the 2025 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner who is expected to be honored next week as the Eclipse Award-winning champion 2-year-old male of 2025, is back on the workout tab for the first time as a 3-year-old.

The early Kentucky Derby (G1) favorite, a son of Into Mischief   owned by Spendthrift Farm, breezed 3 furlongs in :37.01 Jan. 16 at Palm Beach Downs in South Florida.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher stated, "It went super. Everything went great. He did it well in hand with good enthusiasm. It seems like he's maintained his fitness level fairly well, so we're very pleased." Pletcher confirmed the colt is targeting the Feb. 28 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park. The Fountain of Youth is the final local prep at Gulfstream Park for the March 28 Florida Derby (G1). Both races are part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series.

The Fountain of Youth carries quality points toward the May 2 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on a 50-25-15-10-5 basis to the top five finishers. Ted Noffey is atop the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 40 points.

Churchill Downs uses qualifying points as a preference system when the Kentucky Derby draws more than its capacity field size of 20 horses.

Ted Noffey, 6-1 on the morning line for the latest Kentucky Derby Future Wager taking place this weekend, is coming off an undefeated 2-year-old season. Before his victory in the Oct. 31 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar, he scored victories in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland, and in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) and a maiden race, both at Saratoga Race Course.

Pletcher still plans to have a representative in the 3-year-old stakes race that precedes the Fountain of Youth: the Holy Bull (G3). He plans to run Nearly, who has won two of his three starts.

Centennial Farms' Nearly  breezed a half-mile in :50.26 Friday morning. The son of Not This Time   is preparing at Palm Beach Downs for a probable start in the $250,000 Holy Bull Jan. 31 at Gulfstream.

"We were kind of perplexed by his debut. He had trained very well prior to that. He's seemed a little green, but he's made good progress in his next two starts," Pletcher said in reference to Nearly. "He's been very impressive. He worked great this morning, so we're very happy with him."

The Holy Bull offers Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale to the top five finishers.