LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 9, 2005) - Phoebe Mueller's Rush Bay sparkled in a sharp five-furlong work on Saturday at Churchill Downs, the colt's final major tune-up for next week's $1 million Arkansas Derby (GII) at Oaklawn Park.

The son of Cozzene zipped through the distance in :59 over a "fast" track. The move Tom Amoss-trained Rush Bay worked in the company of a stablemate in a training move that ranked as the third fastest of 27 at the distance.

"We demanded some finish from him at the end of the work," said Amoss. "He quickened noticeably to the naked eye in the last eighth of a mile. We're delighted and ready to go to Oaklawn."

Amoss said he is focused only on Rush Bay's readiness for the Arkansas Derby and is not thinking about anything beyond that race. The colt will ship to the Hot Springs, Ark. track on Tuesday.

"Right now the only thing we're looking at is how we fit in at the Arkansas Derby," said Amoss. "If we fit in with them well, then we'll talk about something else."

Rush Bay is coming off a victory in a mile and a sixteenth allowance race on March 14 at the Fair Grounds. That was his first race since a disappointing eighth-place performance in the Risen Star (GIII) over the same track. The colt finished second to Greater Good in the Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) at Churchill Downs last fall and has a career record of 2-2-1 in six races with earnings of $107,055.

A pair of Kentucky Oaks (GI) hopefuls saw action over the Churchill Downs surface on Saturday as Cape Hope and Aspen Tree prepared for critical final prep races for the Oaks scheduled for the coming week.

Overbrook Farm's Cape Hope, the winner of Gulfstream Park's Herecomesthebride (GIII) on turf, breezed four furlongs in :49.60 for trainer Dallas Stewart. The daughter of Cape Town, who is unbeaten since she moved to the grass four races back, will return to the dirt on Friday in the $250,000 Fantasy (GII) at Oaklawn Park. Stewart has said that a strong effort on the dirt could earn Cape Hope a spot in the starting gate for the May 6 Kentucky Oaks.

Buckram Oak Farm's Aspen Tree was the other Oaks contender on the work tab and the daughter of Holy Bull covered five furlongs in :58.60. The move by the Carl Nafzger-trained filly was the fastest of 27 at the distance. She was third in the Bonnie Miss (GII) at Gulfstream Park last time out and could earn a trip to the Kentucky Oaks with a big effort on Thursday in the $250,000 Stonerside Beaumont (GII) at Keeneland.

WORK TAB (Track: FAST) - Exceptional Ride breezed five furlongs in :1:00.60 ...La Reason breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40.

DERBY WEEK STAKES NOMINATIONS DUE BY MIDNIGHT - Nominations for stakes races scheduled for Kentucky Derby Week (April 30-May 7) at Churchill Downs will close at midnight (EDT). The April 9 deadline does not affect the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks, and Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI).

The roster of Derby Week stakes races includes:

* 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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