ATSWHATIMTALKNBOUT - "He went to the gate today and was a perfect gentleman. Then he galloped a mile and a half." Trainer Ron Ellis summed up the morning's major activities for his Kentucky Derby charge Atswhatimtalknbout in two quick sentences. The 43-year-old Ellis has had his trainer's shingle out for the past 23 years, but this is his first go at the Run for the Roses and he's trying to keep things as simple as he can. "I'm doing pretty good with the Derby hype so far," he noted. "Of course, I think it's going to pick up a fair bit as we go along." Atswhatimtalknbout, a son of horse of the year A.P. Indy, has been doing well at Churchill Downs, too. "He's done great here," Ellis said. "He likes this place. He especially likes the grazing he gets to do out back (on the grass behind his stall in Barn 41). Folks who haven't seen him in a while say he looks bigger; like he's put on weight. I just know he's feeling good and he's happy here." The conditioner said the next step for his handsome bay charge will be a "five- or six-furlong work tomorrow - probably six. "David Flores (who will ride him in the Derby) is riding in California today, then catching the red eye to Cincinnati. He's supposed to get in at 6 a.m. and we're going to try to have him here for 8 so he can work him right after the (renovation) break (from 7:45 to 8:15)." Atswhatimtalknbout, owned by B. Wayne Hughes and the "Hollywood" connection called Biscuit Stables, has won two of five lifetime starts and $164,120.

BRANCUSI - The Blue Grass runner-up today worked a mile on turf at Keeneland under jockey Tony Farina in "about 1:44," trainer Patrick Biancone said. "Grass wasn't my preference, but the dirt track was too slippery. I worked him with a mate. I had him stretch out a bit in the lane. He was breezing good. It was soft ground." The colt will ship from Keeneland Wednesday or Thursday. "It was nice of Keeneland to let me go on the turf today," he said.

BUDDY GIL - San Felipe and Santa Anita Derby winner Buddy Gil was on the track shortly after 6 o'clock Saturday morning to jog a mile and gallop a mile under Amy Mullins, wife of trainer Jeff Mullins. The Eastern Echo gelding is scheduled to have another light morning Sunday before Mullins and jockey Gary Stevens return to Louisville on Sunday night to put Buddy Gil through his final pre-Derby paces. Stevens and Mullins flew in last Monday when Stevens worked Buddy Gil six furlongs in 1:11 4/5. Buddy Gil is slated for a five-eighths work on Monday. Buddy Gil was foaled on Feb. 21, and shares that foal date with Affirmed, the last Triple Crown winner.

DOMESTIC DISPUTE - Santa Catalina (GII) winner Domestic Dispute, third in his most recent outing in the Coolmore Lexington (GII) at Keeneland, has been purchased privately and is now back in the picture for Kentucky Derby 129. The son of Unbridled's Song, previously owned by Gary Garber, was purchased for an undisclosed price by David Bienstock and Chuck Winner and has been transferred from trainer Bob Baffert to the care of new trainer Patrick "Paddy" Gallagher. His new trainer said that if Domestic Dispute continues to do well he would likely be in the starting gate on Kentucky Derby Day. "We're going to just look at him over here the next couple of days," Gallagher said. "If he looks at acts good, that's the plan - to run him in the Derby." Gallagher said the durability of Domestic Dispute during a tough campaign for the Kentucky Derby and Visa Triple Crown was one of the most attractive things about the colt. "We've been watching him for a bit now," Gallagher said. "Just the fact that he's tough enough to stay around I think is what we probably liked about him." If he runs in Derby 129, Domestic Dispute would be the first Kentucky Derby starter for Gallagher, 46, who served as an assistant to four-time Derby-winning jockey Bill Shoemaker during that racing Hall of Fame rider's training career. "Anytime you're in a big race, it's always exciting for everybody," he said. Gallagher said that Alex Solis would ride Domestic Dispute in the Kentucky Derby. The colt will be stabled in Barn 22.

EMPIRE MAKER/PEACE RULES - Trainer Robert Frankel had his Kentucky Derby pair of Empire Maker and Peace Rules out for a mile and a half gallop Saturday morning shortly after the renovation break. Both colts looked good accomplishing their exercise - the tall and dark Empire Maker with Jose Cuevas attached and the short chestnut Peace Rules handled by Antonio Graell. At the same time his Derby horses stretched their legs, the Hall of Fame conditioner had the stakes-winning fillies You and the Sightseek work six furlongs in company in 1:13. Empire Maker, who looms a solid favorite in the 129th Derby next Saturday, cut a striking figure galloping well out from the rail on a nippy morning. The son of Unbridled, who won the 1990 edition of the Run for the Roses, handled his exercise without any strain and drew a big smile and a thumbs up from the veteran Cuevas. Peace Rules, a son of the Forty Niner stallion Jules, was his usual hard-trying self for his gallop, covering the 12 furlongs under the hold of former rider Graell. Frankel continued to express extreme confidence in his two horses, noting again that he feels Empire Maker has earned his role as favorite ("If they all run their races - run to the form they've shown so far - he'll win it.") and that Peace Rules could surprise some people ("He knows how to win, that little horse. They'd better not overlook him.") The conditioner has his final serious drills planned for his pair tomorrow morning following the mid-morning renovation break. Juddmonte Farms' Empire Maker will work with another Juddmonte horse, the 4-year-old San Marino Handicap winner Requete. Peace Rules, who is owned by Edmund Gann, will work on his own. Both horses will work six furlongs and both will be handled by exercise rider Mitsu Nakauchida, a 24-year-old native of Shiga, Japan, who previously held a jockey's license in England when he was going to school there. Frankel likes a lighter rider aboard his horses for works (Nakauchida does 120) and he has confidence in the well-spoken young man as a good judge of time. "I told him to work (Sightseek) in 1:13 this morning and he hit it right on the button," the trainer said. Empire Maker has won three of five starts and $1,115,800. Among his tallies are two of the most important Derby preps - the Florida Derby and the Wood Memorial. Peace Rules is a winner of five of eight outings for earnings of $1,124,990. He has won the Blue Grass and Louisiana Derby in his last two starts. The two colts are the top money makers in the potential Derby lineup.

EYE OF THE TIGER - John Gunther's Eye Of The Tiger, second in the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 19, will ship from that track at approximately noon today with two stablemates accompanied by trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Their expected ETA at Churchill Downs is 2 p.m. and they'll take up residence in Barn 42. Eye Of The Tiger has won two of his five starts and banked $122,209. A rider has yet to be named on the American Chance colt.

FUNNY CIDE - The Wood Memorial runner-up went twice around the mile and a half oval at Belmont Park Saturday morning with exercise rider Robin Smullen up. Trainer Barclay Tagg, who was stopping by his house in Maryland Saturday before going to New York, said it was just easy exercise for Funny Cide. "He just jogged and cantered twice around," Tagg said. "He'll work at Belmont Tuesday morning with Robin up, probably five-eighths. We'll fly to Louisville on Wednesday." Jose Santos, who has been aboard in all the gelding's six lifetime starts, has the mount in the Derby.

INDIAN EXPRESS/KAFWAIN/SENOR SWINGER - Trainer Bob Baffert's two top Derby hopes, Indian Express and Kafwain, galloped on the wet main track Saturday morning, as did Senor Swinger, who may go in Friday's Crown Royal American Turf instead of the Derby. Kafwain went a mile and a half at a good clip, while Indian Express galloped at a more leisurely pace. "We gave him a good lick," Baffert said. "He needed it. Indian Express just galloped along on his own." Baffert's horses are scheduled to have their final Derby breezes on Monday or Tuesday. Baffert said he will make a decision on Senor Swinger's status based on the colt's main track workout, but said right now he is leaning toward running in the turf stake Friday. Tyler Baze has the riding call on Indian Express, who was beaten a head in the Santa Anita Derby last out, while Pat Valenzuela will have his first Derby mount since 1993 on Kafwain, who was third in the Santa Anita Derby.

LONE STAR SKY - Buddy New's Lone Star Sky was on the track shortly after 6 a.m. Saturday to gallop two miles under exercise rider Kathy Sanchez. The Florida-bred son of Conquistador Cielo is scheduled to work Tuesday, after which time a decision will be made on Lone Star Sky's participation in Derby 129. "He has developed into a good work horse the past year and his last work (a six-furlong move in 1:12 4/5 last Tuesday) was excellent," trainer Tom Amoss said. "We will make the decision as a team, but right now I would say we are 50-50 for the race. The Lone Star Derby the following week is also under consideration."

OFFLEE WILD - The Azalea Stable colt just walked under the shedrow Saturday morning after a strong gallop in the mud Friday morning. Trainer T.V. Smith, who is making his Derby debut, said the Wild Again colt will be back on the track Sunday. "It was going to be walk today and gallop tomorrow or gallop today and walk tomorrow," Smith said. "I decided to wait until Sunday when the track should be in good shape." Offlee Wild, the first horse owned by the Azalea Stable group headed by Lansdon Robbins III, upset the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream in January and ran third in the Blue Grass Stakes last out. Smith said he's taking the colt's schedule "one day at a time," but is planning to work the colt Tuesday morning. The trainer said he's enjoying his first Derby experience so far. "I'm sleeping good and I wake up smiling," he said. "I don't think we can get him any better. Now we'll see if he's capable of running a big race for us." Offlee Wild will have a new rider in Robby Albarado for the Derby. He is the fifth jockey to get on the colt in what will be his seventh lifetime start next Saturday.

OUTTA HERE - Bill Currin and Al Eisman's Outta Here jogged a mile at Hollywood Park under assistant trainer Pat Seeley. Currin, who trains Outta Here, said the Dehere colt would leave Hollywood Park at 2 a.m. Sunday for a 4 a.m. flight to Louisville that will get him to Churchill Downs by Sunday afternoon. Currin is scheduled to arrive in Louisville on Monday night. Kent Desormeaux has the mount.

SCRIMSHAW/TEN CENTS A SHINE - Trainer D. Wayne Lukas opted to wait a day to work Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Ten Cents A Shine, choosing instead a gallop as the track opened. Exercise rider Stacy Maker was up. "Because of all the rain (Friday) I decided to wait and hope to get a better track tomorrow," Lukas said. "I was surprised how good the track was this morning and I probably could have gone." Ten Cents A Shine's second work since an eighth-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes will determine his Derby status. "Right now, we are 50-50 to run," Lukas said. "This horse is doing great right now." Scrimshaw, also with Maker up, galloped. No rider has been named for Scrimshaw. "Not yet, but we will have plenty to choose from," Lukas said of the rider situation. Scrimshaw vaulted back into the Derby picture with a victory in the April 19 Coolmore Lexington Stakes, a race Lukas won in 1999 with Charismatic, who went on to win the Derby, and Proud Citizen, who was second to War Emblem in Derby 128. "He could work Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday because I wanted to give him some time to get over the race," Lukas said, "but Tuesday will probably be the day. He has had a good month and of all of them in the race, he probably has a lot more room for improvement."

SIR CHEROKEE - Domino Stud's longshot Arkansas Derby hero Sir Cherokee galloped a mile and a half at Trackside Training Center with exercise rider D.W. Fries up. "Everything is going well," said trainer Michael Tomlinson, who plans to bring Sir Cherokee back to Churchill Downs on Thursday for a morning gallop and afternoon schooling session in the paddock. Tomlinson was asked if the disruption in the morning routine to come to Churchill Downs was a problem for Sir Cherokee. "It doesn't affect him at all. The other morning we were back by 11 o'clock and he had his lunch," Tomlinson said. "Some horses get wired up, but this horse handles everything in classic fashion." Tomlinson said Sir Cherokee vanned from Trackside to all his starts last year. "We would leave early in the morning to go to Ellis Park last summer to try to beat the heat, and then later to Keeneland and Churchill," Tomlinson said. "But I don't think this horse will be going to Ellis Park this year." Terry Thompson will ride.

SUPAH BLITZ - The Manny Tortora-trained colt walked the shedrow in Barn 14 Saturday morning after arriving from Florida by van on Friday. Jesus Sanchez, who traveled with Supah Blitz from Calder Race Course, said the colt arrived in fine shape after the road trip. Tortora, who is still in Florida, said the Mecke colt will gallop a mile and a half on Sunday morning and again on Monday morning. Supah Blitz is scheduled to have his final Derby workout Tuesday. "I have a flight that gets in 11:45 Monday night," Tortora said. "I'll be there for the workout Tuesday morning." Jockey Rosemary Homeister Jr., who has the riding call in the Derby, will be aboard for the workout.

TEN MOST WANTED - Illinois Derby winner Ten Most Wanted got some education, some leg-stretching and a soapy bath during the course of a brisk Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. The Deputy Commander colt spent time schooling in the paddock and galloped a mile and an eighth shortly after the mid-morning renovation break. He and exercise rider Enrique Alferez got to spend some extra time walking near the paddock when the track was closed for an injured horse. Trainer Wally Dollase, who trains Ten Most Wanted and also trained his daddy, normally likes to oversee his charges from atop his stable pony Blackie, but has been grounded since coming in from California. "I had to send for Blackie," the 65-year-old conditioner said in reference to his all-black quarter horse. "I'll be able to see what's going on out there with him. He's coming in Sunday. The guys at Tex Sutton's (the equine transport company) aren't going to charge me anything for him. They had a flight that wasn't full, so they're just going to bring him along." Dollase held the shank while his charge got his bath and the dark bay or brown colt chewed and strutted and squealed all the while, feeling and looking the part of a serious Kentucky Derby contender. "I'll probably just gallop him again tomorrow," Dollase said. "Something similar to what he did today." Ten Most Wanted has won two of five starts and $373,460.

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