Kentucky Derby Context: Fulleffort

After blossoming on Turfway Park’s synthetic track this winter, Fulleffort will make his first dirt start in the Kentucky Derby (G1). The gray colt made his first four starts on turf last year, winning the third time out and taking an entry-level allowance at Keeneland in late October. Fulleffort moved to the Tapeta surface at Turfway in January, recording back-to-back seconds in the Leonatus S. and John Battaglia Memorial a month later. He improved while stretching out in distance for the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3), getting in gear sooner and powering into a clear lead by midstretch, and Fulleffort has some pedigree influences for dirt. The late-running colt will look to make a serious impact if he can transfer his form to the main track at Churchill Downs.

OWNER: St. Elias Stable (Vinnie Viola) and Starlight Racing (Jack Wolf et al) campaign Fulleffort. Viola co-owned 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming and has been involved in other Kentucky Derby partnerships, including Sandman, seventh in last year’s Run for the Roses. He also co-owns Golden Tempo and Iron Honor, which both earned a berth to the 2026 Kentucky Derby. Starlight Racing partnered to win the Kentucky Derby with Justify (2018) and Authentic (2020), also finishing third with Audible (2018), from 15 Kentucky Derby starts.

TRAINER: A native of Louisville, Ky., Brad Cox has been a presence on the Kentucky Derby scene since 2021, winning with Mandaloun and getting third with the eventual champion three-year-old male Essential Quality (both runners elevated one spot by disqualification) in his first appearance. The two-time Eclipse Award winner has saddled 10 runners over the last four years, finishing third with Angel of Empire in 2023 and fourth last year with Final Gambit, and Cox has two additional serious contenders, Commandment and Further Ado, preparing for the 2026 Kentucky Derby.

JOCKEY: TBD

BREEDER: Bred Athens Woods (Reiley McDonald), Fulleffort sold for $425,000 as a yearling at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga August sale. The Kentucky-bred will be the fourth Kentucky Derby starter as breeder for McDonald, the best result being an eighth from eventual champion three-year-old male Will Take Charge in 2013. 

SIRE: Fulleffort is from the seventh crop of multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Liam’s Map. He’s by Unbridled’s Song, a son of 1990 Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled who finished fifth as the favorite in the 1996 Kentucky Derby. Liam’s Map is still looking to make an impact on Triple Crown races with his offspring.

DAM: Fulleffort is the third stakes winner out of Callmethesqueeze, a hard-hitting, versatile racemare who won a pair of stakes on turf and one on the main track. Her first two stakes winners came on dirt, including Power Squeeze, winner of the 2024 Alabama (G1) at 1 1/4 miles. Callmethesqueeze is a daughter of Awesome Again, who earned more than $3.4 million winning nine of 12 career starts, including the 1998 runnings of the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) and Stephen Foster (G2) at Churchill Downs. He’s yet to make an impact on the Kentucky Derby as a broodmare sire, but Awesome Again will be represented by three runners in the 2026 Kentucky Derby, with Incredibolt and Potente also in the field.