LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Crown Pride, Japan’s hope for the Kentucky Derby, had, by his standards, a relatively sedate morning of training Saturday. Crown Pride did his usual assortment of figure-eights and circles in the Churchill Downs chute before venturing onto the main dirt oval, where he galloped about 1 1/2 miles, according to rider and assistant trainer Masa Matsuda.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Led by a trio of prospects from Kentucky Derby-winning trainers Brad Cox and Todd Pletcher, a total of 11 horses with designs on the Derby one week hence worked at Churchill Downs on Saturday morning. They were part of a frenetic day of activity that included a drill at Keeneland for another Derby-winning trainer, a postponed work at Gulfstream, and works at both Belmont Park and Monmouth for horses who likely won’t end up running.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Roxelana Stakes, the opening-night feature of the spring meet at Churchill Downs on Saturday, is down to just three starters following the early scratches of Euphoric and the 8-5 morning-line favorite, Carribean Caper.

Trainer Al Stall Jr. said Carribean Caper “tied up” after Friday training, necessitating the filly be medicated for what equates to cramping in humans.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Wagering records were shattered at the 15-day spring meet that ended Friday at Keeneland, with more than $219 million in all-sources handle marking an all-time high.

Per-day purse payouts of $1,147,834 also were easily an all-time record.

This was the third straight meet for record handle at Keeneland. Total handle was $219,284,979, for a daily average of more than $14.6 million.

Gross handle surpasses the former record of $181 million bet during the 17-day fall meet last October. Handle was $164.7 million last spring.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – After firing off a brisk work last weekend, Un Ojo did so again Saturday morning at Churchill Downs in his final half-mile work in advance of the Kentucky Derby.

Un Ojo, working on his own during the training period reserved for Derby and Oaks horses following the first harrow break on the fast main track, went a half-mile in 47.60 seconds under Colby Hernandez, according to Churchill Downs clockers. It was the 13th-fastest of 121 works at the distance on a busy morning.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trainer Brad Cox got strong performances from his two Kentucky Derby runners in 2021, Mandaloun crossing the wire second, Essential Quality fourth. Mandaloun eventually became the Derby winner through Medina Spirit’s disqualification, and one might think, a year after getting good runs from his two Derby starters, Cox would approach the race the same way. Not exactly.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Arkansas Derby runner-up Barber Road turned in his final serious piece of work for the Kentucky Derby on Saturday morning at Churchill Downs, breezing a half-mile in 48.80 seconds, according to track clockers.

“We’re not trying to do any speed drills here,” trainer John Ortiz said. “We know what he wants.”

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Cyberknife and Zozos, two of the three horses trainer Brad Cox plans to run in the Kentucky Derby one week hence, were the first two Derby runners to drill Saturday morning here at Churchill Downs, beginning a parade of works that will pick up after the break at 7:30 a.m.

Baby Yoda has long been thought highly of, with a Grade 1 placing and gaudy speed figures on his resume, but he has yet to break through with a stakes victory. He gets a chance in the $160,000 St. Matthews Stakes on Wednesday at Churchill Downs.
 
The St. Matthews, which was drawn Friday, is a six-furlong dirt sprint for 4-year-olds and up who have not won a graded stakes in 2021 or 2022.

Graded stakes winners Forbidden Kingdom and Slow Down Andy are recovering from recent illnesses that kept them out of the Triple Crown this year.

Forbidden Kingdom, winner of two Grade 2 races earlier this year, was diagnosed with a swollen throat after finishing last of six as the even-money favorite in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 9.