LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A little after 8:30 Monday morning, trainer D. Wayne Lukas was sitting in his office at Churchill Downs talking about Ethereal Road, whom Lukas the day before had been contemplating entering in either the Kentucky Derby or Pat Day Mile on Saturday. Lukas said owners Aaron Sones and Julie Gilbert had decided they wanted to enter the Kentucky Derby, even it meant being on the also-eligible list. “The guy would love to have the opportunity to run in the Derby,” Lukas said. “Numbers-wise, we have to improve quite a bit, but you can’t deny these people that are spending money and want the opportunity. He’s got a style that fits it pretty good. My guess is if we get in, he would get a nice check.” Less than 15 minutes later, news broke that Un Ojo was withdrawn from the Derby due to a bruised foot, and Ethereal Road was in the field, just five hours before post positions were to be drawn. “I’m happy to be in, especially for the owner,” Lukas said. “I want to give him the experience.” Lukas then found himself scrambling to find a rider. He was hoping to have Victor Espinoza, who rode the horse to a fourth-place finish in the Lexington Stakes. But Espinoza had made a number of commitments to ride at Santa Anita on Saturday. Lukas ultimately opted to name Luis Contreras on Ethereal Road. Contreras rode Ethereal Road to a maiden victory and a runner-up finish to Un Ojo in the Grade 2 Rebel. He also rode him to a seventh-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes. Contreras had also been the regular rider of Lukas’s filly Secret Oath, until he rode her to a third-place finish in the Arkansas Derby. Lukas replaced Contreras with Luis Saez in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks. “We’re still high on Luis, we like Luis,” Lukas said of Contreras. “I think he learned a lot about [Ethereal Road] in the Rebel. It’s not a bad fit.” :: Kentucky Derby Headquarters: Get the latest news, info on contenders, past performances, picks, and more  Ethereal Road will be Lukas’ 50th starter in the Kentucky Derby. Lukas, 86, has won the Kentucky Derby four times, the last win coming in 1999 with Charismatic. His last runner was Bravazo, who finished sixth in 2018.