While prefacing his remarks by saying that “nothing is set in stone,” Spendthrift Farm General Manager Ned Toffey told the TDN that the main pre-GI Kentucky Derby goal for presumptive 2-year-old champion Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) will likely be the GI Curlin Florida Derby to be run at Gulfstream Park Mar. 28. Spendthrift's other top prospect, Further Ado (Gun Runner), is likely headed to the GI Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland Apr. 4.
Ted Noffey is trained by Todd Pletcher, who is based in the winter at Palm Beach Downs in Florida. Further Ado, who is trained by Brad Cox, is just up the road at Payson Park. Toffey confirmed that the plan is not to race the two together until possible starts in the Triple Crown races.
Named a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Ted Noffey was 4-for-4 in 2025. The colt's year culminated with a win in the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Further Ado took a little longer to develop, but had a breakout 'TDN Rising Star' performance when winning an Oct. 10 maiden at Keeneland by 20 lengths. In what was his third career start, he earned a 93 Beyer number. He followed that win with a 1 3/4-length victory in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs.
“This is a very unofficial, but obviously Todd [Pletcher] has been based in South Florida for a long time and I think generally the number one prospect in his barn will take that Florida Derby route,” Toffey said. “That would be the plan. Leading up to that, maybe he will run in the [GII] Fountain of Youth. We'll see how things go as the spring progresses.”
Toffey said that the Blue Grass is an obvious target for Further Ado because of how well the colt ran there in his maiden win.
“He was just beating maidens, but he ran so well at Keeneland,” Toffey said. “It would make a lot of sense to get him back there for the Blue Grass.”
Because Further Ado is based in Florida, Toffey said running in a Derby prep at Tampa Bay Downs is also a possibility.
“Obviously, we want to keep them apart , but we'll try to do what we think is best for each horse,” he said. “There are a lot of options. They'll both be in Florida for the winter and we'll go from there. You know this game. As Wayne Hughes used to say, 'You have to have a plan so you can change it.' I wouldn't rule anything out. There are also the Tampa races to consider for Further Ado.”
Toffey added that the Spendthrift team will also rely on the feedback they receive from Pletcher and Cox.
Further Ado at Keeneland | Coady Media
“We will weigh heavily what the trainers are recommending,” he said. “This is a little bit of a different circumstance than normal, but we generally feel like it's important to weigh very heavily anything the trainers are recommending. Those are the guys in the barn with the horses day in and day out. They will be an important part of the decision-making process.”
Spendthrift also owns one of the top 3-year-old fillies in Tommy Jo (Into Mischief), who is also a 'TDN Rising Star'. The winner of the GI Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga, she was fifth in the GI NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. She is also trained by Pletcher. Toffey said her next start will come in the GIII Forward Gal Stakes at Gulfstream Jan. 31.
“The Forward Gal is a good starting point for her at seven furlongs,” he said. “In going back and looking at her race in the Breeders' Cup and watching that replay several times, I actually feel like she ran an even better race than I originally thought. It was a tough track to come from off the pace on. Speed held so well. When I factored that in, do I think she was going to win? No. But I feel like her race was a little better than I originally gave her credit for.”
Toffey acknowledged that the Spendthrift team is excited about what 2026 will bring, especially when it comes to its two potential Derby candidates.
“This is huge,” he said. “Quite frankly, our primary business is that breeding shed up there in the middle of the farm. We do a lot of racing and you obviously want to be successful doing that in and of itself. At the same time, to be able to do it with horses that you've owned and managed is just that much better. I hate to reduce it to money, but there is that reality.
“If we can have two really nice horses earn their way into our stud barn, which they already have done, without having to pay millions and millions of dollars to be able to do so it is an added bonus,” he added. “Everyone at Spendthrift loves racing and we're always looking for those top 3-year-old colts. This is very exciting for us.”
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