Ted Noffey Shines Again at Keeneland, Underscoring His Class

The son of Into Mischief, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez, turned in a powerful performance to capture the GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity and remain unbeaten, stamping himself as a colt clearly destined for bigger things

Ted Noffey drew off with authority down the Keeneland stretch / KEENELAND

LEXINGTON, Kentucky (Special for Turf Diario).- Some 2-year-olds make the difficult look easy. Ted Noffey (Into Mischief), already a Grade I winner, has now thrust himself into the upper echelon of his generation with only three career starts. The Todd Pletcher trainee remained unbeaten with a dominant performance in Saturday’s GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland, stamping himself as a major player on the road to the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Sent off the heavy favorite for Spendthrift Farm, Ted Noffey broke alertly and pressed pacesetter Litmus Test(Nyquist) before edging closer around the far turn. When John Velazquez asked the gray colt for run at the top of the stretch, the response was instantaneous. With a decisive turn of foot, Ted Noffey surged past and quickly opened daylight, drawing clear with authority to score by 2 3/4 lengths over Blackout Time (Not This Time), while Litmus Test held third.

The final time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:43.98 over a fast track, a polished effort that capped a remarkable afternoon for Velazquez, who registered five wins on the Keeneland card—including the GII Thoroughbred Club of America S. with Praying (Vekoma).

“He’s so professional,” Velazquez said. “He breaks well, puts himself right there, and when you ask him, he responds. He was a little keen when I got to the leader, but once I settled him, he relaxed. When I asked in the stretch, he picked it up right away. After he made the lead, he got a little bored, so I just kept him busy. Todd and his team had him ready to go.”

For Pletcher, it was his third victory in the Breeders’ Futurity with Velazquez—adding to wins with We Miss Artie(Artie Schiller, 2013) and Carpe Diem (Giant’s Causeway, 2014)—and his fifth overall, following Forte (Violence, 2022) and Locked (Gun Runner, 2023). “We thought the distance would be no issue, but you always want to see it,” Pletcher noted. “He traveled beautifully, got into a rhythm, and Johnny gave him the perfect trip. It was exactly what we hoped to see.”

The win capped a banner day for Spendthrift, which celebrated four Keeneland victories and five nationwide. “Days like this don’t come often,” said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift’s general manager. “This game has plenty of ups and downs, so when it all comes together, you have to enjoy it. It takes a great structure, committed owners, and a fantastic team—but it always helps when you’ve got a colt like this.”

Bred in Kentucky by Keeneland, Ted Noffey is out of Streak of Luck (Old Fashioned) and hails from the powerhouse Into Mischief sire line. Already winner of the GI Hopeful S. at Saratoga, he has banked $617,963 while compiling a perfect 3-for-3 record.

“He’s a big, scopey colt, and we always thought two turns would suit him,” Toffey added. “He showed today he can carry that talent further.”

With a flawless campaign, poise beyond his years, and two Grade I wins already in the bank, Ted Noffey now heads to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile as one of the most exciting prospects in America.