Undefeated Ted Noffey eyes Holy Bull, Fountain of Youth

Undefeated Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Ted Noffey is being pointed to either the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) Jan. 31 or the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) Feb. 28 before a start in the Florida Derby (G1) March 28 at Gulfstream Park.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has reason to be optimistic about his chances of adding a record ninth Florida Derby winner during the 2025-2026 championship meet that starts Thursday.

"He's had pretty much a 2-year-old season as good as you could put together. Going from his debut to three Grade 1 wins, culminating with the Breeders' Cup. He handled everything we asked him to, step up in class, stretch out in distance and ship across the country," Pletcher said. "You can't say enough good things about him."

"We haven't really firmed everything up. We're going to take the month of November very easy with him. We can go in a couple of different directions with him. We can maybe go Holy Bull for his comeback possibly setting him up for the Florida Derby. If we felt like we wanted to give him a little extra time, we could maybe wait for the Fountain of Youth," Pletcher said. "Either way, we're taking this month very easy freshening him and then let him guide us, as we get back into serious training, when we want to make the comeback."

Spendthrift Farm's son of Into Mischief graduated on debut Aug. 2 at Saratoga before running away with the Hopeful Stakes (G1) by 8 1/2 lengths Sept. 1 at the Spa. Ted Noffey shipped to Keeneland to win the 1 1/16-mile Breeders' Futurity (G1) by 2 3/4 lengths, successfully stretching out around two turns. He closed out his 2025 campaign with a length victory in the 1 1/16-mile Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

Pletcher has visited the Florida Derby winner's circle with Fierceness (2024), Forte (2023), Known Agenda (2021), Audible (2018), Always Dreaming (2017), Materiality (2015), Constitution (2014) and Scat Daddy (2007). Always Dreaming went on to win the Kentucky Derby.