ACTION THIS DAY/MINISTER ERIC - Trainer Richard Mandella had his two Kentucky Derby colts travel different paths on a pretty Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. His juvenile champion Action This Day took a one-mile jog around the wet-but-fast oval officially termed "good" under exercise rider Paul Nilluang at 6:30, an easy bit of exercise that was termed "plenty enough" by the California-based trainer. His stablemate Minister Eric, the winner of an allowance race at Keeneland 10 days ago, saddled up under Nilluang, but merely walked the shedrow.

"They're both doing fine and don't need much right now," Mandella said.

The trainer will saddle his charge Siphonizer in an allowance race at Churchill this afternoon, then zip to the airport to catch a flight home "to look after things with the rest of my stable." Mandella keeps 40 horses at Santa Anita and has another string with his son, Gary, at Hollywood Park. He only has five horses currently at Churchill, including champion juvenile filly Halfbridled, who will contest Friday's Kentucky Oaks.

"I'm a danger with just a few horses like this," Mandella joked. "I start making up problems to worry about."

The trainer indicated he would fly back to Kentucky Monday night.

BIRDSTONE-Birdstone, the diminutive but talented hopeful of owner Marylou Whitney and trainer Nick Zito in next Saturday's 130th Kentucky Derby, tuned up for the race this morning with a sharp five-furlong workout in :58.40 after the renovation break.

With exercise rider Maxine Correa in the saddle, Birdstone broke off at the half-mile pole a couple of lengths behind stablemate Broadway View, who had aboard Carlos Correa, husband of Birdstone's pilot. Birdstone breezed to the seven-eighths pole and clockers caught him galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.60

"He went very well," said Zito later at the barn. "Good horses work this way. It was a great work and I think it gives him a decent shot next Saturday. He's a talented horse and I'm happy with the way he went this morning. I'd be worried if he had struggled but he did it so nice and so easy. This puts us in good position. "He was high on the polls as a two-year-old and it wouldn't be that much of a surprise if he were to win. He got sidetracked for a while but he's back now."

Birdstone, a son of 1996 Kentucky Derby winner Grindstone and a half-brother to 2003 Kentucky Oaks victress Bird Town, missed the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland because of a high white cell count. As a two-year-old, he won the Champagne Stakes.

Edgar Prado has the call on Birdstone.

BORREGO - The husky chestnut with the bald face galloped strongly in the middle of the track just after the 8 a.m. renovation break Saturday morning, covering about a mile and three-eighths under exercise rider Andy Durnin.

Trainer C. Beau Greely, who is also part owner and breeder of the colt, oversaw the leg stretching by the son of El Prado.

"If he's happy, I'm happy," Greely said. "And right now he's happy."

With the threat of rain in the forecast for Saturday night, the trainer said he'll play it by ear for his colt's exercise Sunday. "I just might gallop him a bit farther tomorrow," he said. "Or we might go ahead and work him five-eighths. It will depend on the weather and the track. He could work Monday, too."

Borrego has finished second in his last three starts - the Sham Stakes, the Louisiana Derby and the Arkansas Derby.

CASTLEDALE - Lyons and Knee's Irish-bred Castledale, upset winner of the Santa Anita Derby, prepared for a possible start in Saturday's 130th Kentucky Derby by working six furlongs in 1:11.80 this morning at Hollywood Park.

Jockey Jose Valdivia, Jr. was aboard the son of Peintre Celebre for trainer Jeff Mullins who said the colt galloped on out seven furlongs in 1:24 flat.

"He went really good," said Mullins who was sixth with Buddy Gil in the 2003 Kentucky Derby. "The track was in excellent shape."

Mullins said a decision will be made Sunday morning as to whether Castledale will join the field in this year's Derby. "The day after is always the key day," said Mullins.

There is a shipment of horses from California on Monday and Castledale would probably be transported then if the decision is made to go in the Derby.

EDDINGTON - Willmott Stables' Eddington, who is one defection from possibly securing a spot in the Derby 130 starting gate, galloped a mile and three-eighths at Belmont Park under regular exercise rider Jose Sanchez.

Trainer Mark Hennig plans to breeze the son of Unbridled five furlongs Sunday at Belmont and if the colt makes the Derby field, plans to ship Wednesday.

FRIENDS LAKE - The big chestnut son of A.P. Indy was out for a strong gallop after the renovation break Saturday morning and came back looking strong and playful. Trainer John Kimmel said the colt is scheduled to breeze five furlongs Sunday morning.

"That's the plan," Kimmel said. "But the weather here has me a little confused. I want to see what the track looks like tomorrow before I decide."

Amanda Roxborough, who gallops the horse, was thrilled with the way Friends Lake went through his 1 3/8 miles exercise this morning. "He went super," she said. "The track was better after the break and he was just awesome out there."

Friends Lake, a homebred out of the millionaire mare Antespend, has not run since he took the $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream on March 13, and will be making just his third start of the season in the Kentucky Derby.

Kimmel announced right after the Florida victory that the colt would come up to the Kentucky Derby on works alone to be fresh and ready for the big test.

"The plan was to bring a happy, healthy horse to the Derby," Kimmel said. "And that's what we've done. I just hope the rest of the plan works out."

Friends Lake, owned by Mary and Chester Broman Sr., will try to become the second straight New York-bred to take the Derby after Funny Cide's upset win in 2003.

IMPERIALISM - Trainer Kristin Mulhall was up as Steve Taub's Imperialism jogged two miles before 6:30 Saturday morning. It marked Imperialism's first day back at the track after working six furlongs in 1:17.40 on Thursday.

"It has been a good first week," said Mulhall, whose Derby hopeful arrived from California last Monday. "He seems to like everything."

Mulhall said the Langfuhr colt would jog again in the morning with possibly a light gallop but will resume regular gallops on Monday with a three-eighths breeze slated for Wednesday. Two-time Derby winning rider Kent Desormeaux has the mount.

LIMEHOUSE/POLLARD'S VISION - Trainer Todd Pletcher's Derby-bound pair of Limehouse and Pollard's Vision were out early Saturday morning for mile and one half gallops around the big Churchill Downs oval. Michelle Nihei was aboard Limehouse, a Grand Slam colt who was bred in Florida. Pollard's Vision, a son of Carson City bred in the Blue Grass, had Patti Krotenko attached for his exercise.

Pletcher, the University of Arizona graduate who has gone on to great success after apprenticing under Hall of Fame conditioner D. Wayne Lukas, indicated that works were likely for both his colts Sunday morning.

"I might go early with one and after the break with the other," he said. "But that could change. We'll see how it goes in the morning."

Limehouse will be ridden by last year's Kentucky Derby winner, Jose Santos, in this year's renewal of the Run for the Roses. John Velazquez has the call on Pollard's Vision.

LION HEART - Toyota Blue Grass Stakes runner-up Lion Heart galloped a mile and a quarter on the main track at Keeneland with exercise rider Jean Claud up.

Trainer Patrick Biancone plans to bring Lion Heart to Churchill Downs on Monday "to stretch his legs, weather permitting."

Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith has the mount.

MASTER DAVID - The Grand Slam colt had his regular guy, Jose Cuevas, on board for a mile and one-half gallop Saturday morning, going trackside with a slew of other workers and exercisers shortly after the 8 a.m. renovation break. Trainer Robert Frankel gave the leg-stretching and his charge his seal of approval.

"He's doing good," the Hall of Fame conditioner said. "He's an easy horse to work with. He does just what you want."

Master David, runner-up in New York's Wood Memorial in his most recent try, is scheduled to work either Monday or Tuesday.

"It'll depend on the weather," Frankel noted. "If the track is too bad, I might even work him on the grass. He broke his maiden on the grass. He can handle it fine.

"I did that (worked on the grass) with Empire Maker last year coming up to the Belmont (a race he won). It doesn't bother me to do that. It can be better for the horses."

Frankel has Alex Solis named to ride Master David in the 130th Kentucky Derby.

PRO PRADO - With Saturday's defection of Sinister G from the Derby picture and the expected nonparticipation of Value Plus, it appears that Pro Prado has earned a spot in the Derby field.

"Last week at this time we were 25th and I didn't really think we would get in," trainer Robert Holthus said. "I am happy that we'll get the chance."

With exercise rider Lee Lockwood up, Pro Prado was on the track before the renovation break, jogging to the front side and galloping once around before pulling up at the half-mile pole.

Pro Prado had worked six furlongs in 1:13.40 with Derby rider John McKee up on Thursday. Holthus has indicated he would give Pro Prado a light, three-eighths blowout next Thursday if he made the Derby field.

QUINTONS GOLD RUSH -Quintons Gold Rush, who earned his spot in the 130th Kentucky Derby with an impressive triumph in the recent Lexington Stakes, had a lengthy gallop of approximately a mile and seven-eighths this morning for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Scott Blasi, Asmussen's assistant, was up on the son of Wild Rush who will have Corey Nakatani aboard next Saturday. The handsome chestnut colt is scheduled to work Monday.

READ THE FOOTNOTES - The son of Smoke Glacken, who arrived at Churchill Downs Friday afternoon, was out for a mile and a half gallop Saturday morning under the watchful eye of trainer Rick Violette Jr. Violette said the Klaravich Stables runner will have a half-mile breeze Monday or Tuesday as his final preparation for the Derby. Read the Footnotes won three straight graded stakes during late fall and early winter, taking the Nashua and Remsen in New York, and then winning his 3-year-old debut in the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream in February. He earned a very high speed figure for the neck victory over Second of June. However, in the subsequent Florida Derby, he ran fourth, four lengths behind Friends Lake as the even-money favorite..

And like fellow Derby hopeful Friends Lake, Read the Footnotes is a New York-bred who has not run since the Florida race on March 13. But Violette is not second-guessing himself on training up to the Derby. "He got enough out of the Florida Derby, and his two one-mile

works (at Palm Meadows in Florida) give him a tremendous foundation," Violette said. "He gets two turns naturally, so the distance won't be a problem.

"He's the forgotten horse," the trainer said, "and I guess that's out of sight, out of mind. But don't forget, he's still run the best number of the season."

Robby Albarado rides.

ROCK HARD TEN - Trainer Jason Orman said Saturday morning that Rock Hard Ten would scratch from Saturday's Derby Trial and work five furlongs Monday in anticipation of earning a spot in the Kentucky Derby.

"It is starting to look like we may have a chance to get in," said Orman, whose colt would need a couple more defections to move up into the top 20 graded money earners that would constitute the Derby field. "I know it is tough to ask a horse to run a mile and a quarter in his fourth start, but he is doing awfully well."

With exercise rider John Byrne up, Rock Hard Ten visited the starting gate and then galloped a mile after the renovation break.

SINISTER G - "We're out," trainer John Toscano said Saturday morning from Belmont Park as Sinister G continued to battle a cough. "Sometimes Mother Nature takes over and if the horse is not right, to put him in the Derby would be foolish."

Toscano had planned to work Sinister G on Saturday, but the colt had his training cut back to daily jogs the past two days and ruled out a Saturday breeze. Toscano was hoping to be able to work Monday and then ship Wednesday, but that plan was scrapped when Sinister G did not respond to treatment.

"He has just been very lackluster in the barn and at the track," Toscano said.

SMARTY JONES - Someday Farm's Smarty Jones left no doubt he liked the Churchill Downs racing surface Saturday morning by working five furlongs in 58 seconds under jockey Willie Martinez. The move was the fastest of 34 at the distance over a track labeled "good." Going out after the track was harrowed at the renovation break, Smarty Jones was caught in fractions of :22.80, :34.20 and out six furlongs in 1:11.20.

"I am tickled to death. It went very, very good," trainer John Servis said.

"I got to watch him down the backside and into the turn. I had the binoculars and caught him in spots in between the tents (in the infield). He looked good. I think he likes the track. I was pretty happy yesterday. He trained real good over the track, and I am really glad we decided to come in a day early and let him gallop over the track. He handled it so well. I kind of thought he was going to work good. He was ready for a work. He was begging for it .. just the way he was acting, you could tell. My exercise boy (Pete Van Trump), the sweat was rolling on him pretty good, so I knew he was ready.

"He is a horse that is still learning. Even today, Willie said it was the best ever. He settled so nice. He had a horse break off in front of him going to the three-eighths pole ... kind of dropped over in front of him. Willie had to take a hold of him. He said as soon as he took a hold, he came right back to him. He hollered at the girl and the girl eased out. She didn't leave much room and he gave him his head and he shot right through there."

Martinez, who had worked Smarty Jones for Servis this winter in Arkansas, was quick to describe the work.

"Sweet. Sweet. Sweet," Martinez said with a smile. "He is the same horse I was on at Oaklawn Park before the Arkansas Derby. I told John before the Arkansas Derby that I didn't think his horse would get beat. I said you might as well call the bookkeeper. That's the way I felt. That is how much confidence I had in him."

SONG OF THE SWORD - Paraneck Stable's Song of the Sword galloped two miles at Keeneland under exercise rider Kevin Grau. The Unbridled's Song colt jogged three miles Friday morning.

Trainer Jennifer Pedersen, who is battling bronchitis, is bringing Song of the Sword up to the Derby on long gallops at Keeneland, where the colt has been since finishing third in the Coolmore Lexington Stakes on April 17.

"I am going to try to talk the owner (Ernie Paragallo) into shipping over early," said Pedersen who had planned to wait until Wednesday to van over if Song of the Sword made the Derby field. With Saturday's defection of Sinister G, Song of the Sword moves into the No. 20 spot in the list of graded earnings of Derby hopefuls.

Norberto Arroyo has the call for the Derby.

ST AVERIL - Stan E. Fulton's St Averil, a stakes winner this winter at Santa Anita, drilled six furlongs in 1:11.80 this morning for trainer Rafael Becerra at Santa Anita and a decision will be forthcoming this afternoon as to his participation in Saturday's 130th Kentucky Derby, the conditioner said.

"He seems OK," said Becerra, "in good form. We want to wait and see how he cools out and scope him and then I'll talk to the boss this afternoon and we'll decide."

Jockey Tyler Baze, the colt's regular rider, was aboard and St Averil, who has experienced problems with his feet, worked in a bar shoe. "He went his last quarter in :23 2/5," said Becerra, "but when he's good he can do this."

St Averil would travel Monday if the decision is made to the join the Derby lineup.

TAPIT - The lightly raced gray colt, winner of the Wood Memorial in his last start, was out for some air on trainer Michael Dickinson's Tapeta Farm in Maryland Saturday morning as he gets ready to ship to Churchill Downs on Wednesday.

"He just cantered a mile," Dickinson said. "He moved very well."

The trainer said Tapit was out on the one-mile all-weather strip at the farm this morning, with exercise rider Allen Gorman in the boot. Tapit, who won both his starts at 2 and was sixth in his 3-year-old debut in the Florida Derby on March 13, won the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct in his fourth career start on April 10. He worked on the turf course at Tapeta Farm last week.

Ramon Dominguez, who has been aboard in two of Tapit's victories, has the riding call in the Derby.

WIMBLEDON - Wimbledon, trainer Bob Baffert's lone hope for a fourth Kentucky Derby triumph, galloped a mile and one-half this morning under exercise rider Dana Barnes. Two-time Kentucky Derby winner Jerry Bailey will pilot the roan son of Wild Rush next weekend.

Wimbledon, hero of the Louisiana Derby but fifth behind Castledale in the Santa Anita Derby, is scheduled to work Sunday. However, Bafffert is keeping a close eye on the weather forecast, which predicts rain for Saturday night.

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