LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Workout watching has become an increasingly popular pastime in the age-old quest to sort out the top contenders and ultimately pick the winner of the Kentucky Derby. This year’s talented crop of 3-year-olds has done its very best to make that task a lot more challenging than usual, with so many impressive performances to choose from during training hours in the weeks leading up to the big event. The following are brief impressions of how the members of this year’s Derby lineup appear to be coming up to the race. The list is in post position, not preference, order. Renegade – Did all his serious work at Palm Beach Downs. Looked good in the first of his two breezes exiting his huge performance in the Arkansas Derby while in maintenance mode for the other. Has been strong in his daily gallops since arriving locally last Saturday. Albus – Wood Memorial winner is an excellent work horse in general but more in maintenance mode in both his local breezes. Needs to take a big leap number-wise to fit in with this group. Intrepido – Worked extremely fast, shading 45 seconds for a half-mile, in his lone local drill. The key question being: Was that just too fast coming only six days out from Derby Day? Has done little more than jog on regular basis since that work. Litmus Test – Giving every indication he will be a major pace factor after a zippy work, from the gate, here last week. Right to Party – His last two local breezes have been on the average side while arguably second best with allowance mate Very Connected on both occasions. Commandment – Not flashy in his works and less so in daily gallops but cannot knock anything about his recent series of local drills, topped by a very strong effort with his new rider, Luis Saez, aboard, on April 17. The horse just knows how to win. :: Get DRF Kentucky Oaks & Derby Clocker Reports by Mike Welsch and the DRF Clocker Team Danon Bourbon – Class, not fitness, will be more the issue for this undefeated and pretty much unknown quality who turned in a pair of very strong and long open gallops on back-to-back mornings earlier in the week. So Happy – One of those horses who apparently runs better in the afternoon than he works in the morning. He will have to if he’s going to factor Saturday off a fairly average-looking breeze here with jockey Mike Smith up last weekend. The Puma – Like Renegade, completed all his major preparations in South Florida before shipping locally, his final work an eye-catcher when finishing strong and galloping out a mile in 1:37 and change under jockey Javier Castellano at Gulfstream Park. Wonder Dean – Perhaps a little high strung at times but has shown good energy in his most recent gallops. Lone official work here also was on the average side last weekend. Incredibolt – Another who had the majority of his Derby preps in relative anonymity at the Palm Meadows training center in Florida, but he likely tipped his hand and gained many new supporters after a terrific-looking drill here Sunday. Seemingly loves the course and was perfect in two starts over this track at 2. Chief Wallabee – Has made arguably the best appearance on a regular basis of any member of this field and is seemingly sitting on his best yet with the addition of blinkers that propelled him to an eye-catching workout last weekend. Potente – No surprise seeing trainer Bob Baffert’s second Derby contender also sizzle in his final Derby prep – five furlongs in 57 and change – just six days out from the race. Was it too fast too close to the race? Bob’s not worried. Should we be? Emerging Market – Light on experience but long on talent and along with Chief Wallabee has caught the eye on a regular basis since arriving in The Ville. Loved his work with Flavien Prat aboard here over the weekend. Pavlovian – Pretty much in maintenance mode working from the local gate and seemingly not the kind of horse who will wow one in the morning, anyway. Was full of energy and looked good skipping over the sloppy/sealed track on Wednesday. Unfortunately for him, there is no rain in the forecast for Derby Day. :: Get DRF Kentucky Oaks & Derby Betting Strategies by Marcus Hersh and David Aragona. Full analysis and wager recommendations! Six Speed – Has been a handful on a regular basis during training hours, a strong galloper with his head bowed. His lone local work seemingly average in nature, perhaps maintenance-like, on Monday. Further Ado – Another of the morning all-stars here the past couple of weeks whether in workout or gallop mode. Can get a bit keen at times, but settled nicely for his new rider, John Velazquez, in his latest trial, finishing and galloping out strongly at the end of the drill. Seemed eager to go on even farther but had to be geared down a bit prematurely due to an incident on the track as he was exiting the clubhouse turn. Golden Tempo – Did all his major Derby work at Keeneland, looked very professional in his latest breeze, and seems to have settled in nicely since shipping down the turnpike the following day. Great White – Haven’t seen too much of this guy, who drew into the race with the scratch of Silent Tactic on Wednesday. Ocelli – Like Albus, is far behind majority of these on numbers, but both local works were fine and he was full of energy galloping a long ways on Thursday. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.