Tracy Farmer's Sun King, winner of the Tampa Bay Derby (Grade III) and one of the favorites for this year's Kentucky Derby (GI), tuned up for a run in Keeneland's Toyota Blue Grass (GI) with a five furlong breeze on Monday at Churchill Downs.

The son of 1999 Kentucky Derby winner Charismatic covered the distance in 1:02.80 while Farmer and trainer Nick Zito looked on from the track's grandstand. Churchill Downs clockers caught the colt in fractions of :13, :25.40, :37.60, and :49.20. He galloped out six furlongs under exercise rider Carlos Correa in 1:16.40.

Zito was impressed with what he viewed as Sun King's effortless motion in his run through the Churchill Downs stretch and said he was very happy with the work.

"Absolutely - how could you not be?," Zito said. "He's a terrific horse and we're looking for a really good spring with me. We just want to get him to the Blue Grass and then get him back to this race (the Derby) - THE race - and we'll be okay."

Zito's 1-2 finishers in Saturday's Florida Derby (GI) - Live Oak Plantation's High Fly and My Meadowview Farm's Noble Causeway - arrived at Keeneland on Sunday and Zito said both horses shipped well. He hopes that those horses can be shipped to Churchill Downs in the next few days.

Horses that had been stabled at Palm Meadows and Gulfstream Park are currently prohibited from shipping into Churchill Downs while the track and the Kentucky Agriculture Department assess the effectiveness of procedures to contain cases of the equine bacterial infection strangles at Palm Meadows.

While Sun King is set to run in the Toyota Blue Grass on April 16, High Fly and Noble Causeway are scheduled to train up to the Kentucky Derby. Two other Zito Derby contenders - Kinsman Stable's Bellamy Road and Robert LaPenta's Andromeda's Hero - are scheduled to race one more time. Bellamy Road is expected to run in Saturday's Wood Memorial (GI) at Aqueduct and Andromeda's Hero will travel to Oaklawn Park for the Arkansas Derby (GII) on April 16.

Farmer's Sir Shackleton, winner of the Derby Trial (GIII) and the recent Richter Scale Breeders' Cup (GII) at Gulfstream, breezed five furlongs in 1:01.40. Correa was aboard for the work by the 4-year-old who will run next in the Commonwealth Breeders' Cup (GII) on Toyota Blue Grass Day at Keeneland. The colt's major near-term goal is the $750,000 Metropolitan Handicap (GI) on May 30 at Belmont Park.

WORK TAB (Track: FAST) - Kentucky Oaks (GI) contender Summerly breezed four furlongs in :47.40 in preparation for a run in Saturday's Ashland (GI) at Keeneland. She won the Fair Grounds Oaks (GII) in her most recent start...New Orleans Handicap (GII) winner Badge of Silver breezed four furlongs in :46.40. The move was the fastest of 27 at the distance for the Bobby Frankel trainee who could run next in the Carter Handicap (GI) at Aqueduct...Bwana Charlie breezed five furlongs in :59.80, the fastest of 30 works at the distance...Lady Tak breezed five furlongs in 1:01.40 ...Pocahontas winner Punch Appeal breezed five furlongs in 1:00...Master David breezed five furlongs in 1:03.60...Actxecutive breezed five furlongs in 1:01...Capac breezed five furlongs for trainer Nick Zito in 1:04.60...May Gator breezed five furlongs in 1:04.60...J Town breezed six furlongs in 1:13.20...Lenatareese breezed four furlongs in :50.80... Lunarpal, breezed four furlongs in :47.60...Quest, winner of the 2003 Clark Handicap (GII), breezed four furlongs in :53.20...America Alive breezed five furlongs in 1:02.

DERBY WEEK STAKES NOMINATION DEADLINE LOOMS - Nominations for stakes races scheduled for Kentucky Derby Week (April 3-May 7) at Churchill Downs will close at midnight (EDT) on Sat., April 9. The deadline does not affect the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks, and Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI). The races include:

* Sat., April 30 -- $100,000-added Derby Trial
* Thurs., May 5 -- $100,000-added Mamzelle,
$100,000-added La Troienne (GIII)
* Fri., May 6 (Kentucky Oaks Day) --
$100,000 Edgewood, $100,000-added Alysheba,
$100,000-added Aegon Turf Sprint (GIII),
$300,000 Louisville Breeders' Cup (GII), $100,000-added Crown Royal American Turf (GIII)
* Sat., May 7 (Kentucky Derby Day) --
$200,000-added Churchill Downs Handicap (GII), 100,000-added Three Chimneys Juvenile,
$100,000-added Winnercomm Turf Mile (GIII), and the $250,000-added Humana Distaff Handicap (GI).

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