Further Ado (Gun Runner) announced his presence with a jaw-dropping 20-length maiden win at Keeneland last fall. The 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' returns to Lexington as the horse to beat in Saturday's GI Toyota Blue Grass S., good for 100-50-25-15-10 points to the top five finishers on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.The Spendthrift Farm colorbearer was a workmanlike winner of the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill Downs Nov. 29, then kicked off his 3-year-old campaign with a solid second-place finish behind The Puma (Essential Quality) in the GIII ESMARK Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 7. That effort was further flattered when The Puma returned with a too-good-to-lose second-place finish in last Saturday's GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park.Further Ado's sire Gun Runner was represented by 2024 Blue Grass winner Sierra Leone.“He's doing very well and I feel like he's moved forward since the Tampa Bay Derby,” said trainer Brad Cox, who won the 2021 Blue Grass with Essential Quality. “He obviously likes Keeneland and we're looking forward to giving him an opportunity in a Grade I on Saturday.”After a pair of defections, the 8-5 morning-line favorite will meet just six rivals, led by Reagan's Honor (Honor A. P.), a big-figure runaway wire-to-wire allowance winner for Cherie DeVaux at Fair Grounds Feb. 19.“He has the talent,” DeVaux told the TDN Writers' Room crew earlier this week. “It's been because of his physical that we've given him some time. He was a bit light, but he's grown and he's trained forwardly. In each race that he has run in, he has made steps forward in his training and subsequently on the track. So, I do think that it's in him to be a bit faster. But it looks like it's going to be a tough field and he's going to have to have to run another top race and then continue on if he does make it into the Derby.”Great White (Volatile) tries dirt for the first time for John Ennis after upsetting the John Battaglia Memorial S. at Turfway Park Feb 21.Both Class President (Uncle Mo), a game winner while making his two-turn debut in the GII Rebel S. at Oaklawn Mar. 1, and the maiden of five starts Ocelli (Connect), will be scratched. The latter will instead run in Saturday's GII Wood Memorial S. at Aqueduct.“I was not happy with the way he trained the last couple of days,” trainer Todd Pletcher said of Class President. “He is going to go to a clinic the first of next week for some tests. It's a bump in the road, and we're not giving up on the Derby Trail, but the timing is not ideal.”The Toyota Blue Grass is the centerpiece of an 11-race program that also includes: the GI Resolute Racing Madison S.; GII Appalachian S.; GII Valvoline Global Shakertown S.; and GIII Commonwealth S.Iron Honor Tops Big Field for Wood MemorialSt. Elias Stable, William H. Lawrence and Glassman Racing's Iron Honor (Nyquist) will make his highly anticipated two-turn debut in Saturday's GII Wood Memorial S., the final renewal to be held at Aqueduct.Drawn widest of all in post 13, the 5-2 morning-line favorite made it a perfect two-for-two for trainer Chad Brown in the GIII Gotham S. going a one-turn mile at the Big A Feb. 28.Iron Honor | Sarah Andrew“Iron Honor is doing really well,” Brown said. “I've been looking forward to getting him around two turns. If he breaks good from the gate, hopefully he can get up and over and we'll see how everyone finds their spot into that first turn.”Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher will send out Courting (Curlin), a $5-million Keeneland September graduate and full-brother to MGISW Clairiere, in pursuit of a record-equaling eighth Wood Memorial victory. Last year's GII Remsen S. fourth-place finisher was a disappointing sixth in the GII Fasig-Tipton Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds Feb. 14.“It's the historic last one at Aqueduct and the race has been kind to us over the years,” Pletcher said. “We'd love to add another one.”The rail-drawn Napoleon Solo (Liam's Map) returns to the Big A following a well-beaten fifth-place finish in the GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Feb. 28. He was previously a powerhouse, front-running winner of the GI Champagne S. going a mile over this course last fall.The Wood Memorial offers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers.The 12-race card is bolstered by the GII Carter S., featuring the return of champion sprinter Book'em Danno (Bucchero); the GIII Gazelle S. at nine furlongs for sophomore fillies offering 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points; and the GIII Distaff S.Baffert Duo to Vie for Favoritism in Santa Anita DerbyHall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will have two fantastic chances at a record-extending 10th GI Santa Anita Derby victory Saturday.Baffert's highly regarded maiden winner Cherokee Nation (Not This Time) and unbeaten GII San Felipe S. winner Potente (Into Mischief), the top two choices on the morning-line, will exit side- by-side from posts one and two.“They both look good coming into it,” Baffert said. “Potente is already in (the Derby), but Cherokee Nation is going to have to step up–he needs to run first or second, but good horses find a way to get there.”Potente leveled off beautifully to reel in the re-opposing Robusta (Accelerate) by a head while making his two-turn debut at second asking in the San Felipe. He continued on powerfully after the wire with a visually impressive gallop out as well.The $2.4-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling is campaigned by Speedway Stables.“It was impressive what he did to win a stakes second out,” Baffert said. “It shows the quality. Distance is not a problem for him.”Cherokee Nation, fifth as a maiden in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. last fall and the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. Feb. 7, finally put it all together with a 10-length maiden win over older horses at sixth asking at Santa Anita Feb. 27. He earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure while stopping the timer for a mile in a very sharp 1:34 2/5.Cherokee Nation brought $1.15 million from SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Bashor Racing, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan as a Keeneland September yearling.“The way he ran last time was off the charts,” Baffert said. “He needs to repeat that effort.”The Santa Anita Derby, worth 100-50-25-15-10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, has also attracted GI American Pharoah S. winner Intrepido (Maximus Mischief) and GII San Vicente S. winner So Happy (Runhappy).Intrepido enters off a second-place finish in the Robert B. Lewis S. So Happy tired to third in the aforementioned San Felipe.The 12-race program also features the GII Santa Anita Oaks, headed by Las Virgenes S. winner Meaning (Gun Runner); and the GIII Monrovia S., led by imposing 4-5 morning-line favorite Queen Maxima (Bucchero).The Santa Anita Oaks carries 100-50-25-15-10 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Oaks.The post Further Ado Has ‘Moved Forward Since Tampa Bay Derby,’ Headlines Blue Grass appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.