ATSWHATIMTALKNBOUT - Trainer Ron Ellis reported that Atswhatimtalknbout came out of his 1:41.40 mile work of Monday in good order and that the A.P. Indy colt would return to the track to jog Wednesday. The colt walked the shedrow and then spent some time devouring grass behind Barn 41. Ellis plans to work Atswhatimtalknbout on Sunday and he hopes to have Derby rider David Flores in for the move.

BRANCUSI - Michael Tabor's Brancusi galloped a mile and a half under Tony Farina at Keeneland, according to trainer Patrick Biancone. "Everything is fine this morning," said Biancone, who is keeping a close eye on the weather forecast for the weekend. "It is supposed to rain hard Friday, and if so, we will come over Friday and then work Saturday morning and come back," said Biancone, who has not saddled a Kentucky Derby starter.

BUDDY GIL - Desperado Stables' Buddy Gil walked the shedrow Tuesday morning, a day after working six furlongs in 1:11.80. "Everything looks good," trainer Jeff Mullins said before heading back to California. "I was tickled to death with his work." Buddy Gil is scheduled to return to the track to jog Wednesday morning. Mullins is scheduled to return to Louisville on Sunday night and remain through the Derby. Buddy Gil is slated for his final Derby work, a five-furlong move, next Monday.

EMPIRE MAKER/PEACE RULES - Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel's Kentucky Derby hopefuls galloped a mile and three-eighths after the renovation break over a fast track at Churchill Downs on Tuesday morning. Jose Cuevas was up on likely Derby favorite Empire Maker, and Antonio Graell was on Peace Rules. The two colts are scheduled to walk Wednesday. "They will get the day off tomorrow and then next week we will get a little more serious," said Frankel as he met the media. "This (meeting the press) is the worst part of it for me. I let the horses do the talking for me. What I say doesn't matter. All the trainers are going to tell you their horses are doing great, but I am not going to lie to you. My horses are doing super." NOTE TO MEDIA: Trainer Bobby Frankel has requested that media members wait until the end of training hours for interviews regarding his Kentucky Derby contenders and other horses pointed toward Derby Week stakes races at Churchill Downs. Mr. Frankel will meet with print and electronic media roughly 10 minutes after the close of training hours at 9:15 a.m. (EDT).

FUND OF FUNDS - Trainer Richard Violette said Tuesday morning that Illinois Derby runner-up Fund Of Funds was out of the Kentucky Derby picture because of injury. "He has a small tear in a tendon in his left front leg," Violette said from Aqueduct. "We noticed it yesterday and confirmed it with ultrasound this morning. "With tendons, a lot can change in two weeks, so right now we will put the brakes on him and see where it takes us. Right now we are guardedly optimistic."

FUNNY CIDE - Sackatoga Stable's Wood Memorial runner-up Funny Cide breezed a half-mile in :47.20 around the dogs at Belmont Park under assistant trainer Robin Smullen according to trainer Barclay Tagg. "He worked from the half-mile pole to past the wire and the clockers missed it," said Tagg, who was at Keeneland. "It did not seem like the mud bothered him at all. That was about as easy as she could go because he is a just a fast horse." Tagg plans to work Funny Cide another half-mile at Belmont next Tuesday and then ship to Louisville on Wednesday the 30th.

INDIAN EXPRESS/KAFWAIN/SENOR SWINGER - Phil Chess' Indian Express and The Thoroughbred Corporation's Kafwain galloped Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs and both are scheduled for Wednesday morning works. Trainer Bob Baffert sent Senor Swinger to the turf for a five-eighths work that was accomplished in 1:03 under jockey Pat Day. "Visually, it looked good," said Baffert of Senor Swinger, who is also nominated to the Crown Royal American Turf to be run Friday, May 2. "I don't know what I am going to do. I will talk with (owner) Bob Lewis and figure out a game plan in the next couple of days."

LONE STAR SKY - Walter "Buddy" New's Lone Star Sky, winner of the Bashford Manor (GIII) at Churchill Downs and runner-up in the Risen Star (GIII) at the Fair Grounds, is listed a "possible" starter in Kentucky Derby 129 by trainer Tom Amoss following a strong six-furlong work on Tuesday. The son of Conquistador Cielo breezed six furlongs under jockey Calvin Borel in 1:12:80 over a "fast" track just minutes after the track opened for training. Churchill Downs clockers recorded Lone Star Sky's internal fractions as :25.40, :37.80; :50.40 and 1:01.60. The colt galloped out seven furlongs in 1:26.20. "He's developed into a very good work horse from last year to this year," Amoss said. "Regardless of where we run him, you won't see a better work from a younger or older horse this meet, in my opinion. It was a very, very good work. He's shown a great affinity for this track and it's a spot where he won his biggest race." Amoss said Lone Star Sky would work one more time before entries are taken for the Derby on April 30 and the final decision on his status for the "Run for the Roses" could be determined very late in the process. "It's really in the owner's hands right now," he said. "I don't know which way we're leaning. I think it's going to be a decision that's made very close to the wire. He will work again on Tuesday of next week and it will be a light work. Of course, we'll want to see how he looks on Wednesday morning and whether he stays on course and continues to do well. And we'll also see if there's a change in the complexion of the field, which often times happens for the Derby. After that Buddy New's going to take all the evidence and have it in front of him and make the final decision." Lone Star Sky has failed to win in four races this year and was distant fourth to Ten Most Wanted in the Illinois Derby (GII) in his most recent race. "He did run bad, let's not kid ourselves," Amoss said. "I just know that the horse is training well right now. I think it's real important that both myself and Mr. New don't get caught up in the fever of wanting to participate in the Derby, only to walk away and feel like we made a bad decision."

OFFLEE WILD - With Lansdon Robbins and several other members of Azalea Stable looking on, Offlee Wild covered five furlongs in company in 1:01 2/5 under Derby rider Robby Albarado after the renovation break. Churchill Downs clockers caught the Wild Again colt in fractions of :12.20, :24.80, :37.60, :49 and out six furlongs in 1:14.80. Offlee Wild started off about two lengths behind workmate Roman Centurion, a maiden also trained by T.V. Smith. Offlee Wild tracked the stablemate to the stretch and then drew away. "He sat real comfortable off that other horse and when I squeezed him a little bit turning for home, he went on by within himself," said Albarado, who was on the colt for the first time. "I was pleased with the way he went and he was very tough to pull up. I finally got him pulled up about the half-mile pole. He was wanting to do it, and that is always a good sign." Albarado had seen Offlee Wild run before. "He has a good style of running and I don't think the distance will be a problem for him," Albarado said. "It seems like he is the type that can stay. That's what you are looking for right now with a 3-year-old." Smith said Offlee Wild may work again before the Derby. "The thing about it is we have enough time that if I feel like he needs another work, I have time to get another one in him," Smith said. "I want to see how he is doing. I want to walk over there Derby Day with a tiger in the tank."

OUTTA HERE - Delta Jackpot winner Outta Here galloped a mile and half Tuesday morning at Hollywood Park with assistant trainer Pat Seeley up. "He wanted to get a little aggressive when another horse came up to him, but it turned into a nice, regular gallop," trainer and co-owner Bill Currin said. Currin plans to work Outta Here five-eighths on Thursday and then ship to Churchill Downs on Sunday.

SCRIMSHAW - Robert and Beverly Lewis' winner of the Coolmore Lexington (GII) at Keeneland walked for a third consecutive day. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said he would return to the track for the first time since his Coolmore Lexington victory on Wednesday. Lukas said he has not yet settled on a jockey for the Gulch colt in the Kentucky Derby. "I'm going to take a few more days on that," he said.

SIR CHEROKEE - Domino Stud's Arkansas Derby (GII) winner galloped two miles Tuesday under assistant trainer D.W. Fries at Churchill Downs' Trackside Louisville training center. Trainer Mike Tomlinson said the Cherokee Run colt is "doing great" and current plans call for Sir Cherokee to make the short trip to Churchill Downs on Friday for a gallop over the surface the colt will be running over on Kentucky Derby Day.

SUPAH BLITZ - Trainer Manny Tortora said jockey Rosemary Homeister Jr. would retain the mount on Supah Blitz for Derby 129. "She knows the horse having ridden him six times and there are not that many 'name' riders available," Tortora said. Supah Blitz, in the money in 12 of 15 lifetime starts, galloped Tuesday morning at Calder Race Course under exercise rider Herbie Valdivieso up. Tortora plans to send the son of Mecke to Louisville either Wednesday or Thursday with one Derby Week work scheduled.

TEN MOST WANTED - Illinois Derby winner Ten Most Wanted galloped a mile after the renovation break at Churchill Downs with exercise rider Enrique Alferez up. Trainer Wally Dollase is scheduled to arrive in Louisville Tuesday afternoon with a 6-furlong work slated for Wednesday morning after the break.

« Back To Derby Updates