Kentucky Derby 131 Work Tab
Today's Derby Works (Track: Fast)
* Andromeda's Hero breezed five furlongs in 1:01.80
* Greater Good breezed six furlongs in 1:17.40
* Greeley's Galaxy breezed one mile in 1:40.60
* High Limit breezed six furlongs in 1:13.40
* Sun King breezed five furlongs in 1:00
Friday, April 29 - No works scheduled
Saturday, April 30 - Bellamy Road, High Fly, Noble Causeway (weather permitting) at Churchill Downs; Wilko at Hollywood Park.

AFLEET ALEX - Cash is King Stable's Afleet Alex jogged two miles with exercise rider Salomon Diego up shortly after the main track opened for training Thursday morning. It was the first day back at the track for the son of Northern Afleet, who worked a bullet five-eighths in :59 on Tuessday. Trainer Tim Ritchey said Afleet Alex would return to his regular routine in the morning of jogging once the track opened and then returning after the renovation break to gallop. Jeremy Rose, has the Derby riding assignment on Afleet Alex. MEDIA ADVISORY: Ritchey has requested that media members with questions about Afleet Alex gather each day at 10:30 a.m. (EDT). Afleet Alex is stabled in Barn 41.

ANDROMEDA'S HERO/BELLAMY ROAD/HIGH FLY/NOBLE CAUSEWAY/SUN KING - The pace of Derby preparations picked up at trainer Nick Zito's barn as the two-time Derby winning conditioner worked two of his five hopefuls for the Run for the Roses. With owner Tracy Farmer looking on after making the hour's drive from his home in Midway, Ky., Sun King worked five furlongs in company in 1:00. Exercise rider Maxine Correa was up for the move that was accomplished a little before 7 a.m. The move was the second fastest of 35 at the distance.

"I thought he went very, very well. I was happy with it. The track was not fast; it was a little heavy earlier, so that was a pretty good work," Zito said.

Sun King broke off behind two workmates, collared the duo at the top of the stretch and motored on by.

"I think Max and Carlos (Correa) did a very good job preparing him the way I wanted," Zito said. "Sometimes you work horses psychologically, that is why I worked him with those two horses. You know, sometimes things don't go your way and it certainly wasn't Sun King's fault in the Blue Grass (when he ran fourth). We wanted to make him feel good, like I'm a terrific horse and the Blue Grass wasn't my fault. That's why we did it that way today. He did what I wanted him to do. You are not always right, but I think this is the way to go."

Robert LaPenta's Andromeda's Hero worked five furlongs in 1:01.80 after the renovation break with Rafael Bejarano up. The move was the fifth fastest of 35 at the distance.

"I thought he worked extremely well," Zito said. "All I wanted was the last part. He's a horse that obviously comes from behind and it looks like he is getting better. He is definitely a horse that can get the mile and a quarter trip. The work was exactly what I wanted."

Andromeda's Hero is stabled at Keeneland and headed back to the Lexington track after the work. He will remain there until late next week.

"I will probably bring him back Thursday or Friday, at the worst Friday," Zito said. "I know Patrick (Biancone) did that (came over Derby morning) last year (with Lion Heart) and Kenny McPeek did it (with Tejano Run in 1995), and a lot of horses have run well, but I would rather bring him over a day or two before."

No rider has been confirmed yet for Andromeda's Hero. Zito's other Derby hopefuls, Kinsman Stable's Bellamy Road, Live Oak Plantation's High Fly and My Meadowview Farm's Noble Causeway galloped 1 ½ miles. Carlos Correa was on Bellamy Road and Noble Causeway, and Maxine Correa was on High Fly. If weather permits, Zito plans to work the trio on Saturday.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Zito has requested that media members who wish to discuss his Derby 131 contenders gather each morning for a question-and-answer session beginning at 9:30 a.m. His horses are stabled in Barn 36.

BANDINI/COIN SILVER/FLOWER ALLEY - Trainer Todd Pletcher's three Kentucky Derby hopefuls were put through their morning paces before the 8 a.m. renovation break. Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's Bandini and Peachtree Stable's Coin Silver were in the first set to go to the track. Bandini galloped 1 ½ miles under exercise rider Frederic Buscail and Coin Silver galloped a mile and a quarter under Hall of Famer Angel Cordero, Jr. The Melnyk Racing Stable's Flower Alley galloped 1 ½ miles under exercise rider Michelle Nihei. Pletcher has done no gate or paddock schooling with his trio, but said that would be on the agenda for all prior to the Derby. Pletcher is looking at a Saturday or Sunday work date for Flower Alley, depending on the weather, but said "Sunday for sure" for a work by Bandini.

BUZZARDS BAY - Trainer Jeff Mullins says the Santa Anita Derby (GI) winner jogged a mile and galloped a mile and half on Thursday and the colt would repeat that routine on Friday. The son of Marco Bay will work six furlongs on Monday and ship into Churchill Downs on Wednesday.

CONSOLIDATOR/GOING WILD - San Felipe Stakes (GII) winner Consolidator walked the shedrow a day after working five furlongs in 1:01.40. Stablemate Going Wild galloped under exercise rider Stacy Maker. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas has not named a rider for Going Wild, who, like Consolidator, is owned by Bob and Beverly Lewis. Rafael Bejarano has the call on Consolidator.

GENERAL JOHN B - Trainer Roger Stein said the runner-up in the Santa Anita Derby (GI) ponied Thursday morning and is set to gallop a mile and half on Friday. He may gallop again Saturday before he boards a plane for Louisville. The son of Sweetsouthernsaint will work five furlongs at Churchill Downs on Monday. Stein has scheduled the work after the renovation break.

GREATER GOOD - It did not go exactly according to plan, but Lewis Lakin's Greater Good turned in an eventful six furlong breeze on Thursday as the winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) continued his preparation for the 131st Kentucky Derby. Greater Good worked six furlongs in 1:17.40 over a "fast" track - a move that was the slowest of four at the distance. Veteran trainer Robert Holthus sent Greater Good and jockey John McKee to the track shortly after 7 a.m. to work six furlongs in the company of stablemate River Mountain Rd. Greater Good was scheduled to break off a few lengths behind his workmate, but the son of Intidab was fresh and full of himself and, despite McKee's efforts to restrain Greater Good, the colt broke on even terms with the workmate.

"He finished pretty strong," said Holthus. "He got away a little bit from the boy (McKee) going around to the pole and he probably did a little more than we'd like for him to. But he did finish strong and he galloped out seven-eighths in (a minute and) 31. One good thing is we've got plenty of time to overcome it."

Holthus said Greater Good's eagerness in Thursday's work was out of character for the colt.

"He's been pretty kind working that way," said Holthus. "We've worked him with a workmate all winter. But I guess today's cool weather had him feeling good."

River Mountain Rd was credited with a five-furlong move in 1:05.20.

GREELEY'S GALAXY - With owner B. Wayne Hughes looking on, Greeley's Galaxy put in his third Churchill Downs work since winning the April 9 Illinois Derby (GII) by covering a mile in 1:40.60. With exercise rider Mikki Fincher up, Greeley Galaxy worked after the renovation break. The son of Mr. Greeley previously had worked a half-mile at Churchill Downs on April 16, and six furlongs on April 22. Trainer Warren Stute, whose only other Kentucky Derby starter was Field Master, who ran 13th as part of the mutual field in 1967, was happy with the work.

"He got tired, and that's what I wanted him to do. That's the way you get them fit," the 83-year-old conditioner said. "A lot of horses that run are short, but very seldom mine."

Stute was planning to return to California Friday and then return "if he gets in the Derby," Stute said. As a supplemental nominee to the Kentucky Derby, Greeley's Galaxy would be excluded from the field if the names of more than 20 horses are dropped in the entry box for Kentucky Derby 131 next Wednesday. Preference for Derby entries is given to original nominees.

"If they want to run in the Derby, they run," Stute said. "But that $50,000 fee ($25,000 to enter and $25,000 to start) may slow them down I would think."

Tentative plans call for Greeley's Galaxy to work again Wednesday. Kent Desormeaux has the call for the Derby.

HIGH LIMIT - Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel cast an eye to a darkening sky and an ear to weather forecasts that called for an extended threat of rain, then made a quick change of plans and sent Mary and Gary West's High Limit out for a six-furlong work on Thursday. The winner of the Louisiana Derby (GII) and runner-up in the Toyota Blue Grass (GI) went to the track after the maintenance break in the company of his 5-year-old stablemate Ghostzapper, the Frankel-trained winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic (GI) winner and 2004 "Horse of the Year." The two stars worked together for five furlongs, with High Fly breezing an additional eighth of a mile. The pair broke off for the work with Ghostzapper and jockey Javier Castellano on the rail and some two lengths in front of High Limit and jockey Joe Deegan. The duo finished the breeze together in 1:00.40 and High Limit went on to complete six furlongs in 1:13.80. Frankel was pleased with High Limit's effort and his willingness to settle behind his talented workmate.

"The boy that was on him (Deegan) said he felt really good," he said. "He liked the way he worked. He was more relaxed this time and he was very happy with him. I knew he'd stay with the other horse (Ghostazapper)," said Frankel. "The other horse was pulling up at the wire, but the other horse is a freak."

High Limit has displayed a tendency to jump the tire tracks left by the starting gate in the stretch in each of his last two races and Frankel had considered outfitting the colt with blinkers in an effort to correct that behavior, but he said that will not happen before the Derby.

"It would be very hard to do right before this race," said Frankel. "If it was normal race, we might try it. I'm not that brave. I think if he has a horse in front of him, he'll pay attention. I think he does it when he gets to the lead too soon."

Frankel had originally planned to breeze High Limit over the weekend. He said the colt would have one more light work, probably on Wednesday, before the May 7 Derby. The breeze by Frankel's stars brought to mind a special morning from last year's pre-Derby training when trainer Richard Mandella paired his juvenile champions of 2003 - Action This Day and the filly Halfbridled - for a work as they prepared for planned starts in the Kentucky Derby and Oaks. Action This Day would finish sixth in that Derby, but Halfbridled was scratched from the Oaks. As for Ghostzapper, Frankel continues to point the champion toward a season debut in the Metropolitan Handicap (GI) at Belmont Park on May 30.

SORT IT OUT - Stonerside Stable LLC & Preferred Pals Stable's Sort It Out galloped early Thursday morning under exercise rider Mick Jenner.

SPANISH CHESTNUT - A decision on weather to run Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor's son of Horse Chestnut in the Kentucky Derby will be made after a Monday workout, according to trainer Patrick Biancone. The winner of Santa Anita's San Rafael Stakes (GII) will van from Keeneland to Churchill Downs for the move and is scheduled to work five furlongs after the break. Spanish Chestnut had been scheduled to run in Saturday's $100,000 Derby Trial at Churchill Downs, but that plan was dropped when the colt's connections started thinking about a Kentucky Derby bid.

"We want to give him the best chance to run in the Derby and Saturday's race is too quick," said Biancone.

Should Spanish Chestnut makes the "Run For The Roses," jockey Joe Bravo will get the riding call.

WILKO - With the main track closed because of rain, the son of Awesome Again galloped a mile and an eighth on the training track at Hollywood Park. Trainer Craig Dollase reports the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI) winner would gallop a mile and a quarter Friday and breeze an unspecified distance Saturday before shipping to Churchill Downs on Sunday.

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