American Pharoah looks on his game

CHURCHILL DOWNS

Weather: Clear

Temperature: 51

Track: Fast

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The gang’s all here.

All 20 of this year’s prospective Kentucky Derby starters – 22 of them if you count the also-eligibles FRAMMENTO and TALE OF VERVE – are on the grounds, making for a very active Derby/Oaks training session following the renovation break at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

The stars of the show were clearly trainer Bob Baffert’s dynamic duo of AMERICAN PHAROAH and DORTMUND, who probably will go off as the two betting favorites, in that order, in this year’s Derby. When they walked out to train over a fast track Wednesday, they were greeted by a large crowd of onlookers and admirers who lined the road leading from Baffert’s barn to the racetrack.

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American Pharoah could not be doing better and had another great day coming out of Sunday’s sensational work. The Arkansas Derby winner, American Pharoah was full of himself from the minute he turned around and broke off to gallop, cruising around the course at a two-minute clip for much of the way. He covered a mile from the six-furlong pole once around in 2:01 and change on my watch.

Dortmund continues to thrive over the local surface and couldn’t be coming into the Derby looking any better. Fellow Californian FIRING LINE also was full of himself again Wednesday, galloping in draw reins to help his rider keep him from doing too much.

The latest arrivals, UPSTART and FROSTED, had their trip to Louisville delayed several hours on Tuesday, but they wasted little time getting a feel for the track Wednesday, with both turning in good-looking gallops. Upstart got stronger the farther he went, pulling his rider around the clubhouse turn and down the backstretch before finally easing up near the five-furlong pole. That he stayed on his left lead down the stretch was of no concern to trainer Rick Violette.

OCHO OCHO OCHO was the only Derby starter to breeze Wednesday, blowing out an unimpressive three furlongs in 38.28 seconds nbefore galloping out a half-mile in 52.13.

MATERIALITY, who got a little hot during a paddock schooling session Tuesday afternoon, had another in a series of impressive-looking gallops while also visiting the starting gate for a second straight morning. He appeared to have a bit of neck sweat while jogging back to leave the track, but nothing of any consequence.

CARPE DIEM had what might be described as a “controlled gallop” while pulling up, somewhat curiously, just past the finish line instead of down the backstretch, as is customary for most horses.

TENCENDUR didn’t seem to have the same level of energy as he had prior to his breeze here Saturday. Wednesday was the first time he has galloped since that work.

Frammento, who still needs help to get into the race, visited the track for the first time since shipping over from Keeneland, while EL KABEIR just jogged for a second straight morning. He has not galloped since his swift work at Belmont on Saturday.

KEEN ICE put in a strong gallop, actually breaking away to a 27-and-change quarter-mile from the five-eighths to three-eighths markers before coming to hand down the stretch.

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated American Pharoah's last race. It was the Arkansas Derby, not the Oaklawn Derby.