ACTION THIS DAY/MINISTER ERIC - Trainer Richard Mandella returned from his California trip Monday night and was at Barn 41 at 5:45 Tuesday morning to oversee his five-horse Churchill Downs' contingent. Chief among those runners are a handsome threesome consisting of Action This Day and Minister Eric, who are bound for Saturday's 130th Kentucky Derby, and Halfbridled, who will run in Friday's Kentucky Oaks.

After sending Halfbridled out in the dark for some exercise, Mandella had Action This Day trackside at 7 to greet the sun on a crisp and clear morning in Louisville. The sturdy bay by Kris S. galloped once around the oval for exercise rider Paul Nilluang. Mandella and wife Randi did their best to take in the exercise from one of the viewing stands on the backside, but visibility is limited at the track this year because of all the tents and other structures in the infield while the rebuilding of the grandstand continues.

Action This Day came back from his exercise in good order and the trainer indicated he would give the juvenile champion a short blowout Wednesday morning.

"He'll go three furlongs," Mandella said. "I'm not quite sure when. We'll see how it goes in the morning."

At 8:30, following the renovation break, the trainer returned to the track with Minister Eric and his Kentucky Derby rider, Pat Day, for a half-mile drill that was to be the Old Trieste colt's final major move prior to the Run for the Roses. Minister Eric and his Hall of Fame partner backtracked to the frontside with a pony, jogged back the right way to the five-furlong pole, then broke off and picked up steam for their run from the half-mile pole home. They accomplished the move in a final time of :50 flat.

"We didn't do much away from the pole," Day noted afterward, "but he finished up strong. He surprised me how hard he pulled."

"It was good," Mandella said. "I'm happy with what he did."

Minister Eric will be Day's 22nd Derby mount, starting with Music Leader, who finished 15th back in 1982.

Minister Eric will be Mandella's fifth Derby starter - the first coming with Bedouin, who finished 15th in 1984.

Bedouin, incidentally, is still alive and doing well, living at the California Equine Retirement Foundation (CERF) farm in Temecula, Calif. The now-white gray often is called upon to make guest appearances at racetracks and fairs all around the state.

BIRDSTONE/THE CLIFF'S EDGE - Trainer Nick Zito sent Birdstone to the track for a mile and a half gallop under exercise rider Maxine Correa before the renovation break.

Stablemate The Cliff's Edge walked the shedrow a day after working five furlongs in 1:01. Zito, a two-time Derby winner, was asked about his confidence level coming into the race.

"I have a great confidence level, but you have to wait as the week goes on," Zito said. "Right now, we have had a couple of good weeks. Go for Gin (in 1994) had a couple of good weeks; 'Cliffy' has had a couple of good weeks, but you still have to go on to the last part. Once you get to Friday and race day, you get to feel a lot more confident.

"You've got to have those good weeks and good days. The main thing is, we are through the works. This Derby for Nick Zito, if they get in the gate Saturday, I'm just gonna say, 'Hallelujah,' and then I will go from there.

"Both horses have come up great, and it's great to be here. On April 10, I didn't know if I would be here, even with 'The Cliff' ... Believe it or not, Keeneland probably wasn't his track, and if he had thrown in some kind of race where he finished fourth ... you never know."

Another good omen for Zito was how The Cliff's Edge's work mirrored the final work of Go for Gin in 1994.

'"Go for Gin galloped out past the kitchen, and 'Cliff' did that yesterday, too. He went all the way past the kitchen," Zito said. "That part is OK, but we still have to have the whole week."

Zito said that Eurosilver, who was taken off the Derby trail after coming down with a glandular infection prior to the Blue Grass, was on the mend at Buckram Oak Farm.

"I talked to them yesterday, and they said he was doing well on the farm," Zito said. "We are going to take all the time we need. Obviously, he is going to miss the Triple Crown and we are going to get ready for the fall."

BORREGO - It was just a light morning for the Louisiana and Arkansas Derbies' runner-up Borrego, as trainer (and co-owner and co-breeder) C. Beau Greely had his charge spend some time schooling at the gate and then gallop less than a mile under Irishman Andy Durnin. Greely watched the proceedings near the gate, which is positioned in the chute at the head of the stretch for training.

The husky chestnut went trackside at 7 a.m., took care of his business and came off the oval bouncing, something the son of El Prado has been doing all the while he's been at Churchill Downs. The veteran Durnin was asked how his mount was doing.

"Unbelievable," he stated with a shake of the head. "I had to take a real good hold of him out there to make sure he didn't go 'round with me again. He's something."

Borrego, a winner of $399,580, will have Victor Espinoza in the irons on Saturday.

CASTLEDALE - Irish-bred Castledale, the $62 upset winner of the Santa Anita Derby, arrived safely Monday from California and jogged once around the one-mile Churchill Downs track early this morning.

Frank Lyons, co-owner of Castledale with Greg Knee, said the bay colt "traveled well and ate up and enjoyed the trip. He's a good traveler. He was looking around a lot this morning but in a good way, not like he was nervous about his new surroundings."

According to Lyons, trainer Jeff Mullins will arrive in Louisville Wednesday, as will jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. The latter also is scheduled to ride McCann's Mojave in the Churchill Downs Handicap Saturday versus, among others, Congaree.

EDDINGTON - Willmott Stables' Eddington jogged Tuesday morning at Belmont Park with exercise rider and assistant trainer Jose Sanchez up. Trainer Mark Hennig said Eddington would be entered tomorrow for Derby 130 and if he made the field of 20, would ship to Louisville after training at Belmont.

FRIENDS LAKE - The big chestnut son of A.P. Indy spent some quality time out of the barn Tuesday morning. With exercise rider Amanda Roxborough aboard, the colt galloped a mile and a half after the break, and then schooled at the gate and in the paddock.

Friends Lake, owned by breeders Chester and Mary Broman Sr., has not started since winning the Florida Derby on March 13. "We made that decision right after the Florida Derby," trainer John Kimmel said. "He's very fit right now."

The New York-bred colt, who is out of the millionaire mare Antespend, had his final Derby prep on Sunday, when he breezed five furlongs in 1:03 through a driving rainstorm.

Regular rider Richard Migliore, who has been aboard in all the colt's three career wins, has the mount again.

IMPERIALISM - Trainer Kristin Mulhall sent Imperialism to the track shortly after its 5:15 a.m. opening for a paddock visit and a mile and a half gallop. The Steve Taub-owned colt is scheduled for a paddock schooling session Tuesday afternoon.

Even though Mulhall is saddling her first Derby starter, she has made the Derby Day walk from the barn area to the paddock three times.

"I came over with Desert Hero, Point Given and War Emblem," Mulhall said of three TheThoroughbred Corporation Derby starters. "It's an unbelievable feeling, especially when we did it with Point Given. There is no other feeling like it. It will be interesting this time, especially knowing it is my own horse."

The 21-year-old Mulhall, who has been around horses all her life, said she has never had a drink.

So, what would the beverage of choice be at the Kentucky Derby Museum on Saturday night should Imperialism win the Derby?

"Water," she said.

LIMEHOUSE/POLLARD'S VISION - The Todd Pletcher-trained duo were out of their stalls Tuesday morning, but only to walk the shedrow as their Kentucky Derby dates drew a day closer.

The pair, who will be the eighth and ninth horses the 36-year-old conditioner has sent postward in America's most famous race, have done just about everything right coming up to their mile and a quarter crucible Saturday.

"I couldn't be more pleased with the way these two have come along for this," Pletcher said. "Everything has gone the way I would have wanted. They've been getting over the track well. They're doing good and there haven't been any surprises."

Pletcher has named last year's Kentucky Derby winner Jose Santos to ride the Grand Slam colt, Limehouse. He'll give John Velazquez a leg up on Carson City's son, Pollard's Vision.

LION HEART - Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's Lion Heart jogged at Keeneland Race Course today, a day after putting in a half-mile workout at Churchill Downs. Trainer Patrick Biancone was pleased with the colt's round trip from Lexington to Louisville on Monday and indicated that Lion Heart will ship back to Churchill Downs on the morning of the Kentucky Derby.

Lion Heart will be Biancone's second Derby starter. Last year, he sent out Michael Tabor's Brancusi, who finished 16th. Biancone shipped Brancusi to Churchill Downs on the Friday prior to the Derby. The last time a Derby starter shipped in on the day of the race was in 2002: Johannesburg and Castle Gandolfo finished eighth and 12th, respectively.

"His work yesterday was an easy one to stretch his legs," said Biancone. "It gave him a chance to look at the track and it seems like he liked the surface. He'll gallop tomorrow (at Keeneland)."

Purchased for $1.4 million as a 2-year-old, Lion Heart quickly demonstrated his value by winning his first three races last year, including the Hollywood Prevue (G3) and the Hollywood Futurity (G1). He only has started twice as a 3-year-old, finishing second both times but beaten less than a length total. His auction price is by far the highest among this year's Derby contenders.

The colt has plenty of speed and was just caught in the end in his last two, thus prompting questions about his ability to get a mile and a quarter.

"I don't think he has any limitations, he has so much talent, so much class. Hopefully he'll be very competitive on Saturday," said Biancone.

MASTER DAVID - Master David did some high stepping at Churchill Downs Tuesday morning, but first the Grand Slam Colt made his trainer - Hall of Famer Robert Frankel - do some fancy footwork of his own.

As stablehands walked the chestnut under the shedrow readying for a five-furlong drill, he passed by his trainer and let out a quick kick. Frankel, who has spent more than 40 years around racehorses, was ready for the thrust and did a quick move of his own to avoid a flying hoof.

"Well, he's alive," deadpanned the trainer. "Nothing nasty on his part. He's just feeling good."

Frankel then went trackside at the six-furlong gap following the 8 a.m. renovation break to watch Master David and stablemate Coded Warning step onto the "fast" Churchill Downs strip. The Derby colt had veteran exercise rider Joe Deegan aboard, while his workmate - a 3-year-old maiden with two starts - was handled by jockey Rafael Bejarano. The pair backtracked together to the frontside, jogged back the right way to near the five-furlong marker, then dropped down on the rail and worked as a team. Master David was outside his partner for the drill and he outran his less-experienced morning rival. Clockers gave Master David a final time of 1:00.80, while Coded Warning got a 1:01.60. The splits for Master David were :12.60, :25, :37.20 and :49.20 with an "out" time of 1:14.60.

Frankel was asked if it was what he was after. "Exactly," said the trainer.

Why had he worked the horse in company? "He sometimes gets a little lazy at the end of his works," he noted. "He's OK the first part, but then he gets lazy. This way he'll stay after it."

Frankel, who'll be saddling his seventh Derby horse with Master David on Saturday, has Alex Solis named to ride in the mile and one-quarter classic. The trainer indicated he might paddock Master David Wednesday afternoon.

PRO PRADO - Mrs. James A. Winn's Pro Prado galloped a mile and three-quarters under exercise rider Lee Lockwood, going to the track at 7:15.

"He is going to the gate in the morning and that is just to get him comfortable," said trainer Robert Holthus, who plans no paddock schooling for Pro Prado. "If I get the post I'd like, he won't be in there very long, but if I don't, he might have to stand awhile."

John McKee, one of five first-time Derby riders, saw his first Derby in person last year.

"The first Derby I remember watching on TV, Pat Day won (on Lil E Tee in 1992)," the 22-year-old Cincinnati native said.

McKee, who will be the youngest rider in the field, was asked if there would be any butterflies come post time Saturday.

"I am not thinking about it. I am going out there with every intention of winning the race," McKee said. "If I get butterflies, it's a distraction. I am going to try to stay level-headed."

QUINTONS GOLD RUSH - Quintons Gold Rush, who breezed five furlongs in 1:01.40 Monday, walked under the shed this morning and will school in the Churchill Downs paddock this afternoon, trainer Steve Asmussen said.

Quintons Gold Rush, owned by Padua Stables, won the Coolmore Lexington Stakes to cinch out a spot in the 130th Kentucky Derby Saturday. Corey Nakatani has the call.

READ THE FOOTNOTES - The Klaravich Stables-owned colt had an easy morning Tuesday following his half-mile breeze on Monday. "He just jogged around the track," trainer Rick Violette Jr. said. "Then we took him to the paddock and he stood around for about 10 minutes looking at the scenery."

Read the Footnotes, a son of Smoke Glacken, had his final Derby work Monday when he zipped a half-mile in :47.60.

The colt won the Fountain of Youth Stakes in February with the best speed figure (113) of the season for a 3-year-old, but "bounced" in the Florida Derby on March 13, when he finished fourth, four lengths behind fellow New York-bred Friends Lake. He has not started since that race, but Violette refuses to second-guess his game plan.

"It was the best thing to do for Read the Footnotes," the trainer said of the decision to give the colt seven weeks between races. "He's a willing workhorse, and he runs well fresh. Everything has worked out well. He's a legitimately good horse."

Read the Footnotes will have a new rider for the Derby in Robby Albarado.

"He's won stakes here and he knows this track very well," Violette said. "We'll be in good hands."

ROCK HARD TEN - The huge Kris S. colt, who may be on the outside looking in when entries are drawn Wednesday for the Kentucky Derby, walked the shedrow in Barn 41, a day after working five furlongs in :59.40.

"He's fine this morning, and he will go back to the track in the morning," trainer Jason Orman said.

Rock Hard Ten is slated to be entered Wednesday, but at No. 22 on the graded earnings list of Derby hopefuls, may not make the Derby field that is limited to the top 20 entered graded earners.

ST AVERIL - St Averil, the stakes-winning Saint Ballado colt who arrived Monday afternoon with the shipment of horses from California, had his first tour of Churchill Downs this morning, jogging once around for trainer Rafael Becerra.

Kevin Power was aboard the colt who was a highly regarded Kentucky Derby contender until a disappointing sixth-place finish behind Castledale as the 2-1 favorite in the Santa Anita Derby. Previously, the Stan Fulton-owned 3-year-old won the Santa Catalina Stakes over Lucky Pulpit and Master David and was beaten a nose by Preachinatthebar in the San Felipe Stakes.

Becerra, who arrived in Louisville this morning, said St Averil traveled well and will gallop each day until Saturday's 130th running of the Kentucky Derby.

He plans to school St Averil in the Churchill Downs paddock at least twice this week, Thursday and Friday.

"Mentally, this horse is really good, so I'm not too concerned about it," he said.

Becerra recalled that he was at Churchill Downs 20 years ago as an assistant to Gary Jones with Fali Time, who finished fifth to Swale and was moved up to fourth when Gate Dancer was disqualified.

According to Becerra, jockey Tyler Baze, who has ridden St Averil in all of his six races, will arrive Friday from California.

SMARTY JONES - The undefeated Smarty Jones went to the track at 7 a.m. Tuesday with regular exercise partner Pete Van Trump up for a mile and a half gallop.

A growing number of cameras followed the colt to the track, but trainer John Servis noted Smarty Jones was not bothered by it at all.

"He's been doing good," Servis said. "We go early because I only have the one horse here and you don't feel like standing around all morning."

Smarty Jones is scheduled to visit the starting gate in the morning and then Servis will wait for that afternoon's post position draw.

"Wednesday is a big day with the draw and that could change a lot of things," said Servis when asked about strategy. "The last thing I'd want to see is Lion Heart get out and control the race."

Servis was asked if he thought the pre-Derby campaign was taking a toll on Smarty Jones.

"From the way he has been training, he might be going a little forward, which is what I like to see," Servis said, adding, "If he can't go that far (the mile and a quarter), I'd be surprised."

SONG OF THE SWORD - Jennifer Pedersen is shipping Paraneck Stable's Song of the Sword to Churchill Downs from Keeneland Race Course on Tuesday at approximately 1 p.m. The colt jogged two miles and galloped one this morning at Keeneland. Pedersen expects to blow him out at Churchill on Wednesday after the break. He ships into Barn 45.

While Kentucky Derby 130 is the first Derby for Pedersen, it will be the fourth for owner and breeder Ernie Paragallo (Paraneck Stable). Song of the Sword's sire, Unbridled's Song, ran fifth as the favorite in the 1996 Kentucky Derby for Paragallo, and he was followed by Artax (13th in 1998) and Adonis (17th in 1999).

This will be the first Kentucky Derby for jockey Norberto Arroyo, Jr., who has the return call on Song of the Sword after riding him to a third-place finish in the Coolmore Lexington (G2) at Keeneland.

TAPIT - The gray son of Pulpit, who had an easy breeze on the all-weather track at Tapeta Farm in Maryland on Monday morning, was being prepared today for his plane ride to Churchill Downs on Wednesday. Ronald Winchell's Wood Memorial winner has been training at Michael Dickinson's farm since winning the New York race on April 10. His activity has included breezes on the all-weather track and on the turf course.

Ramon Dominguez, who has the mount in the Derby, was aboard for the colt's last breeze on Monday.

Tapit is expected to arrive early Wednesday afternoon. He is the first Derby starter for both his trainer and jockey.

WIMBLEDON - James McIngvale's Wimbledon, winner of the Louisiana Derby in early March, visited the starting gate this morning prior to a light jog around the Churchill Downs track, trainer Bob Baffert said.

The rangy Wild Rush colt, who breezed five-eighths over a sloppy track in :59.40 Sunday, is "feeling great," said Baffert who will be seeking a fourth Derby success. "That's all a trainer can ask for."

Wimbledon, a $425,000 yearling purchase, was a well-beaten fifth in the Santa Anita Derby, a finish that Baffert blamed on being taken out of the one-run, come-from-behind style that was successful in the Louisiana Derby. Baffert selected Jerry Bailey to replace Javier Santiago aboard Wimbledon.

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