Kentucky Derby Clocker: Tacitus, Country House looking good

Churchill Downs Weather: Clear Temp: 58 Track: Fast

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – With only eight of the 20 top points earners for this year’s Kentucky Derby on the grounds, things have been relatively quiet the past couple of mornings during the special 15-minute window set aside daily at Churchill Downs for prospective Derby and Kentucky Oaks runners.

How quiet? Well, perhaps the most noteworthy news Wednesday morning was the sighting of Wood Memorial winner Tacitus out for another day of training after putting in a half-mile work punctuated by a solid quarter-mile gallop-out here Monday.

Tacitus went right back to the track to school in the paddock and at the starting gate and jog a mile Tuesday. He got more serious Wednesday, galloping 1 3/8 miles while looking none the worse for wear from his work 48 hours earlier as he came through the wire, ears up, before pulling up midway down the backstretch. That trainer Bill Mott opted not to give Tacitus a walk day following Monday’s breeze is perhaps a testament to how well the son of Tapit is doing.

Tacitus’s stablemate Country House was a little busier Wednesday, looking strong galloping more than 1 1/2 miles after leaving the paddock, the final quarter-mile of which went at better than a two-minute clip.

Wednesday also marked the initial local sighting of War of Will, who has been working bullets at Keeneland since his ninth-place finish as the 4-5 favorite in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby on March 23. War of Will, a winner of three straight races, including the Grade 3 Lecomte and Grade 2 Risen Star this winter at Fair Grounds, likely will have his final Derby breeze here Friday or Saturday.

Potential Derby favorite Omaha Beach had another good morning, his fourth straight, under the twin spires, with the draw reins he trained in Sunday and Monday now seemingly a thing of the past.

Both Improbable and Long Range Toddy, who also worked here Monday, were back on the track for easy training sessions after getting Tuesday morning off. Plus Que Parfait did work Sunday but did not get an official time because of the foggy conditions here. He, too, had a good morning Wednesday, galloping along at a solid clip about 100 yards behind Signalman, who has looked sharp himself over the last several mornings but needs a couple of defections to draw into the Derby lineup.

:: DERBY WATCH: Top 20 Kentucky Derby contenders with comments from Jay Privman and Mike Watchmaker