Baeza and Further Ado secure stud future: to join Spendthrift Farm roster in 2027
Both G1 winners will join the stallion roster at the powerhouse Kentucky nursery upon completion of their racing careers. The son of McKinzie hails from the extraordinary family of Mage and Dornoch, while Further Ado represents the continuation of the prolific Gun Runner and Candy Ride sire line
LEXINGTON, Kentucky (Special for Turf Diario).— They still have major races ahead of them, but Baeza and Further Ado already know where the next chapter of their lives will begin. Spendthrift Farm confirmed that both G1 winners will join its stallion roster for the 2027 breeding season once they conclude their respective racing campaigns.
The double addition brings together two distinct yet equally compelling profiles.
Baeza offers proven consistency at the highest level and one of the most coveted pedigrees in North America today. Further Ado, meanwhile, brings a blend of two-turn speed, high-impact performances, and the sire line of Gun Runner—one of the most influential stallions of recent years and a son of the Argentine superstar Candy Ride.
Spendthrift has not yet announced their introductory stud fees, but made it clear that both colts represent key pillars of its 2027 plans.
Few stallion prospects can boast a pedigree as elite as Baeza's. The son of McKinzie is out of Puca, Broodmare of the Year and dam of 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mage (Good Magic), as well as Dornoch (Good Magic), hero of the 2024 Belmont Stakes (G1) and Haskell Stakes (G1).
Baeza became her third G1 winner. Purchased for $1,200,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, he built a formidable resume of his own to secure his future place in the stallion barn.
At 3, he hit the board in both the Kentucky Derby (G1) and the Belmont Stakes (G1) before capturing the Pennsylvania Derby (G1), and during his 4-year-old campaign, he continued to lock horns regularly with the elite.
In fact, eight of his first 13 career starts came in G1 company—a statistic Spendthrift considers particularly telling regarding his blend of class, durability, and soundness.
Originally trained by the late John Shirreffs, he is currently conditioned by Bill Mott for C R K Stable and Grandview Equine, the latter having also bred the colt.
“Baeza is a stallion prospect who checks boxes from every direction,” explained Ned Toffey, COO and General Manager of Spendthrift.
“He’s a beautiful, athletic horse, and sustained performance at that level speaks volumes about his soundness, talent, and determination. Then you add an exceptional family that has already produced two classic winners. He brings a rare combination of proven class, durability, and pedigree.”
A fitting parallel also emerges through his sire line: McKinzie himself won the Pennsylvania Derby during his racing career—the exact G1 event his son would capture years later.
Further Ado's path to Spendthrift differs, as the farm already owns an interest in his racing career.
Conditioned by Brad Cox, the son of Gun Runner began showcasing his talent at 2 when he broke his maiden by an astounding 20 lengths at Keeneland.
Shortly thereafter, he validated that impression by taking the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs.
His true explosion came at 3. Further Ado romped by 11 lengths in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) before annexing the Matt Winn Stakes (G3), stopping the clock in 1:41.26 for the 1700 meters.
It stood as the second-fastest time in the history of the race at that distance, trailing only the mark set by his own sire, Gun Runner.
That exact connection forms one of the biggest attractions for Spendthrift: “When you're looking for a horse capable of carrying forward the influence of a sire like Gun Runner, you want brilliance, athleticism, two-turn speed, and a physical to match. Further Ado showed us all of those things,” Toffey stated.
“He's an athletic horse with the presence and efficiency you want to see in a future stallion. We've believed in him from the beginning, and we're incredibly excited to welcome him home to Spendthrift.”
Bred by John Oxley, Further Ado is out of Sky Dreamer (Sky Mesa), and hails from a maternal line steeped in quality.
Among his family members are Beautiful Pleasure (Maudlin), champion and six-time G1 winner; Dream Dancing(Tapit), also a top-level winner; and multiple graded stakes winner Kimbear (Temple City).
The announcement does not mark an immediate end to either colt's racing career. Spendthrift confirmed that Baezaand Further Ado will remain in training and will only join the stallion barn when the time comes for their retirement.
Thus, their upcoming performances could further enhance the credentials they take into the breeding shed.
For Spendthrift, however, the commitment is already locked in.
Baeza will enter supported by one of the most extraordinary families in recent American breeding and a career built almost exclusively against top-flight competition. Further Ado will carry with him the bloodline of Gun Runner and performances that demonstrated rare brilliance. Two distinct paths that, come 2027, will converge at the exact same location.
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