Back at Keeneland, Further Ado Imposing in Blue Grass

Further Ado , 20 lengths the best against maidens in his first route last fall at Keeneland, will look to impress once again at the Lexington oval April 4 when he races as the anticipated favorite in the $1.25 million Blue Grass Stakes (G1).

The richest race on Keeneland's spring calendar, the Blue Grass initially drew three horses in its nine-horse lineup ranked in BloodHorse's Derby Dozen: Class President  (fifth), Further Ado (eighth), and Reagan's Honor  (12th). Class President, however, will be scratched after not training to the satisfaction of trainer Todd Pletcher the morning of April 2, Daily Racing Form reported.

Other notable entrants include Talkin , Great White , Creole Chrome , and Ottinho —all of whom are either stakes-placed or stakes winners. Two maidens, Ocelli  and Moonstrocity , complete the field in the 1 1/8-mile dirt race. Ottinho and Ocelli are cross-entered in Saturday's Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack. Ottinho is expected to race in the Blue Grass, Ocelli in the Wood.

With Rebel Stakes (G2) winner Class President out, Spendthrift Farm's Further Ado is the race's lone graded stakes winner, having taken the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) last fall at Churchill Downs after his blowout score at Keeneland. Further Ado ran second to eventual Florida Derby runner-up The Puma  in his lone start as a 3-year-old when returning from a short layoff in the March 7 Tampa Bay Derby (G3).

Brad Cox, trainer of Further Ado, is a past Blue Grass winner, taking the 2021 running with dual champion Essential Quality  , who showed via the disqualification of Medina Spirit in the Kentucky Derby (G1) before capturing the Belmont Stakes (G1) five weeks later.

Cox said of Further Ado, "He's doing very well, and I feel like he's moved forward since the Tampa Bay Derby. He obviously likes Keeneland and we're looking forward to giving him an opportunity in a grade 1 on Saturday."

Reagan's Honor, an up-and-coming son of Honor A. P.   owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, David Ingordo, and Gabriel "Spider" Duignan, races in stakes company for the first time after winning a pair of routes against easier competition at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots this winter. Those races followed a debut fourth in a sprint there.

The Cherie DeVaux trainee nearly broke the Fair Grounds track record for 1 1/16 miles in his last start Feb. 19 when he blitzed the distance in 1:42.02. Jose Ortiz, aboard for that race, returns aboard the colt, who figures to show early speed, as does Creole Chrome.

The Blue Grass, the final race on Saturday's 11-race card at Keeneland at 6:22 p.m. ET, has produced 23 Kentucky Derby winners, though none since Street Sense   ran second in the 2007 Blue Grass ahead of winning the first leg of the Triple Crown. It offers qualifying points toward the May 2 Run for the Roses on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale to its top five finishers. 

According to a weather report from the National Weather Service at midday Thursday, there is a strong chance of rain Saturday afternoon in Central Kentucky with an expected high temperature of 80 degrees.