Derby Updates

A.P. WARRIOR -- Stan Fulton's A.P. Warrior jogged Saturday morning at Hollywood Park with exercise rider Steve Willard up. John Shirreffs, who will be seeking to become the seventh trainer to saddle consecutive Kentucky Derby winners, said the A.P. Indy colt would "probably" work Monday, going six or seven furlongs. Jockey Corey Nakatani has the mount on A.P. Warrior, a son of A.P. Indy who is scheduled to ship to Louisville on May 2.

BARBARO - Lael Stables' undefeated Barbaro galloped nearly 1-¾ miles Saturday morning on the training track at Keeneland. Peter Brette was aboard for the morning's activity. Trainer Michael Matz said the son of Dynaformer most likely would work Sunday or Monday at Keeneland depending on the weather with a Thursday, April 27 ship to Churchill Downs scheduled.

BLUEGRASS CAT/KEYED ENTRY/SUNRIVER - Trainer Todd Pletcher's trio of Kentucky Derby contenders galloped on Saturday at Churchill Downs and two - Starlight Stables, Paul Saylor and Donald Lucarelli's Keyed Entry and Aaron and Marie Jones' Sunriver - are scheduled to work at Churchill Downs on Sunday.

Pletcher said that Keyed Entry, winner of the Hutcheson (GII) and third in the Wood Memorial (GI), and Sunriver, third in the Florida Derby (GI), would breeze after the break for track maintenance on Sunday.

Keyed Entry is considered by Pletcher to be a "probable" starter in the Derby, but Sunriver's Derby status is out of the trainer's hands. The latter, a brother to Pletcher's 2004 Kentucky Oaks winner Ashado, may not have enough earnings in graded stakes to qualify for the Derby's maximum field of 20 horses.

Pletcher said that WinStar Farm's Bluegrass Cat would have one more work before the Derby. Pletcher continues to search for a jockey to replace John Velazquez aboard Bluegrass Cat and Wait a While in the Kentucky Oaks (GI). Velazquez, Pletcher's first call rider, will miss the Kentucky Derby and Oaks after suffering back and rib injuries in a Thursday spill at Keeneland.

"We've got a few guys in the mix," said Pletcher. "Ramon Dominguez is probably at the head of that group, but we haven't made any decisions."

BOB AND JOHN/POINT DETERMINED/SINISTER MINISTER - Trainer Bob Baffert said that Stonerside Stable's Bob and John and the Robert and Beverly Lewis Trust's Point Determined galloped Saturday morning at Santa Anita. Lanni Family Trust Mercedes Stable's Toyota Blue Grass (Grade I) winner Sinister Minister galloped at Keeneland.

Bob and John is coming off a victory in the Wood Memorial (GI) at Aqueduct, while Point Determined was the runner-up in the Santa Anita Derby (GI).

The three-time Derby winning conditioner did not confirm a shipping date for his California duo, but noted that Sinister Minister would work at Churchill Downs on Saturday, April 29.

BROTHER DEREK - Cecil Peacock's Brother Derek, winner of the Santa Anita Derby (GI) and probable favorite for the Kentucky Derby (Grade I) presented by Yum! Brands on May 6, galloped a mile and a half Saturday morning at Santa Anita with regular morning partner Francisco Alvarado up.

"He will have an easy gallop Sunday and the plan now is to work seven-eighths Monday and most likely ship Tuesday," trainer Dan Hendricks said.

Alex Solis, who has been aboard the Benchmark colt for all eight of his starts, is slated to be aboard for the Sunday work.

CAUSE TO BELIEVE - Abruzzo and Redekop B.C. Ltd.'s Cause to Believe, winner of El Camino Real Derby (GIII) and the California Derby, worked a strong six furlongs on Saturday at Bay Meadows Race Course.

The Jerry Hollendorfer-trained son of Maria's Mon worked before the first race at Bay Meadows and covered the distance in 1:12.55 over a track labeled "fast." Regular rider Russell Baze was up for the work.

"I got his last eighth in 10.94," Hollendorfer said. "It was a very good move."

DEPUTY GLITTERS - Joseph Lacombe Stable Inc.'s Deputy Glitters galloped a mile and a quarter on the main track at Belmont Park under exercise rider Miguel Gutierrez.

Trainer Tom Albertrani plans to work the son of Deputy Commander sometime midweek before shipping to Louisville on Thursday, April 27.

"We are supposed to get a lot of rain here the next couple of days, so depending on the weather, it would most likely be Wednesday," Albertrani said. "If necessary, we could work Thursday before we ship."

Jose Lezcano, who has ridden Deputy Glitters in his past three starts, has the call for the Kentucky Derby.

FLASHY BULL/JAZIL/LIKE NOW - West Point Thoroughbreds LLC's Flashy Bull, third in the Fountain of Youth (GII), galloped a mile and a half on the training track at Keeneland under exercise rider Desmond Farrell. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin plans to work the son of Holy Bull on Sunday morning.

McLaughlin reported that Shadwell Stable's Jazil, runner-up in the Wood Memorial (GI), came out of his Friday work of :50.60 on the main track at Belmont in good order and would ship to Keeneland on Thursday, April 27 to join the rest of his Kentucky string before coming to Churchill Downs on Saturday, April 29.

John Dillon's Like Now has an important date this afternoon at Keeneland Race Course as his the winner of Aqueduct's Gotham (GIII) takes a three-race win streak into Saturday afternoon's Coolmore Lexington (GII) Stakes.

LAWYER RON - The Estate of James Hines Jr.'s Lawyer Ron, winner of the Arkansas Derby (GII), galloped a mile and a half under exercise rider Betsy Couch before the renovation break. Trainer Bob Holthus said Lawyer Ron would gallop another mile and a half Sunday and could go two miles starting Monday, with the week ending in a work on Saturday. Holthus, who has started horses in the past two Kentucky Derbies, did not have any mornings of two-mile gallops with either Pro Prado in 2004 or Greater Good last year.

"This is a little different horse and he has been doing two miles a long time," Holthus said. "He's got a lot of miles under him."

Holthus will be at the track Sunday morning and then head to Ocala for three days before returning on Thursday.

PRIVATE VOW/STORM TREASURE - Mike McCarty's Kentucky Derby duo of Private Vow and Storm Treasure each galloped 1 ½-miles on Saturday at Churchill Downs. The Steve Asmussen-trained duo is scheduled to work on Monday and assistant trainer Scott Blasi said the pair would probably breeze around 7 a.m. (all times Eastern).

Private Vow finished third in the Arkansas Derby, but emerged as one of the top 2-year-olds of 2005 with victories in the Belmont Futurity (GI) and Churchill Downs' Kentucky Jockey Club (GII).

SACRED LIGHT - Amerman Racing Stables LLC's Sacred Light, runner-up in the Santa Catalina (GII), galloped a mile and a half on Saturday at Hollywood Park under regular exercise rider Martin DeRubin. Trainer David Hofmans plans to work the son of Holy Bull on Wednesday with a scheduled ship to Kentucky on Saturday, April 29.

SEASIDE RETREAT - William S. Farish Jr.'s Seaside Retreat galloped a mile and half before the renovation break at Churchill Downs under exercise rider Jose Castanon. Trainer Mark Casse is scheduled to be in Louisville on Thursday when a work is scheduled for the son of King Cugat, who was the runner-up in the Lane's End Stakes (GII).

SHARP HUMOR-- Purdedel Stable's Sharp Humor walked the shedrow for a second day after a mile work in 1:38 at Churchill Downs on Thursday.

"He will go back to the track tomorrow and his next work will be Saturday," trainer Dale Romans said.

Mark Guidry, who has ridden the Distorted Humor colt in his two outings of 2006, has the Derby call. Sharp Humor won the Swale (GII) and was narrowly beaten by Barbaro in the Florida Derby (GI), both at Gulfstream Park.

STEPPENWOLFER - Robert and Lawana Low's Steppenwolfer, runner-up to Lawyer Ron in the Arkansas Derby (GII), galloped a mile and half before the renovation break under exercise rider Jody Pieper. The son of 2000 Kentucky Derby runner-up Aptitude arrived at Churchill Downs last Monday from his winter base at Oaklawn Park and returned to the track on Wednesday. Trainer Dan Peitz is scheduled to arrive in Louisville from his home base at Belmont Park on Sunday afternoon.

SWEETNORTHERNSAINT -- Joseph Balsamo and Ted Theos' smashing Illinois Derby (Grade II) winner Sweetnorthernsaint walked the shedrow at trainer Michael Trombetta's barn at Laurel a day after working five furlongs in 1:00 under Mario Pino. "Everything is good, and if the weather is good, he will go back to the track tomorrow," Trombetta said. Two-time Kentucky Derby winning rider Kent Desormeaux has the call to ride Sweetnorthernsaint, who is scheduled to ship by van Tuesday, April 25 from his Maryland base. "The plan now is to train lightly that morning before shipping," said Trombetta, who never has had a Kentucky Derby starter.

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