Further Ado early favorite in $1 million Haskell

Jul 15, 2026 Vance Hanson/Brisnet.com

Further Ado wins the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. (Photo by Coady Media)

Further Ado, who rebounded from an 11th-place finish as the mild Kentucky Derby (G1) favorite to win the Matt Winn (G3) in early June, will seek the second Grade 1 win of his career on Saturday in the $1 million Haskell (G1) at Monmouth Park.

“I thought (the Matt Winn) was a really good effort,” trainer Brad Cox said. “The numbers he received out of it basically say he’s the fastest two-turn three-year-old colt in the country.

“I love what I’ve seen from him since. He’s held his condition since. His weight looks great. He’s always been a great workhorse, and he’s continued to train well and breeze well leading up to this.”

Further Ado, who has also won the Blue Grass (G1) and the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at two, will face some formidable opponents. Chief among them is dual Grade 1 winner Napoleon Solo, who registered a career peak when taking the Preakness (G1) at Laurel by 1 1/4 lengths over Iron Honor, the Gotham (G3) winner back in February.

An even stronger rival to Further Ado than those two might be The Puma, who registered a maiden-breaking victory over Further Ado in the March 7 Tampa Bay Derby (G3). The Puma was then beaten a nose in the Florida Derby (G1) but was scratched from the Kentucky Derby (G1) lineup after developing a skin infection.

Three others are in the Haskell, most notably Ocelli. Although still a maiden after nine starts, Ocelli has placed in three of his past four starts, including the Wood Memorial (G2), Kentucky Derby, and Ohio Derby (G3).

The 1 1/8-mile Haskell, the highlight of a 14-race card, has a scheduled post time of 5:45 p.m. ET. It can be watched and wagered on at TwinSpires.com.