LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Trainers Bill Mott and Shug McGaughey approached the final workouts for their Kentucky Derby hopefuls Monday morning from vastly different perspectives.

Mott, who trains Blue Burner, was looking for a fast, strong work to indicate that his 3-year-old is indeed worthy of a spot in the starting gate for Saturday's 128th Run for the Roses.

McGaughey, trainer of Saarland, wanted a less strenuous move, hoping to save something for the long Churchill stretch come late Saturday afternoon.

Each day through the Kentucky Derby, trainer Ken McPeek will share his thoughts with Marty McGee of Daily Racing Form in his Derby Diary. McPeek, 39, is the trainer of Harlan's Holiday, the race favorite.

This game isn't all glory. Like anybody, I've had a number of frustrations and disappointments since I started training in 1985. Probably the worst time of my career came when one of my clients went bankrupt in 1989. Basically, he couldn't pay his bills, couldn't pay me, and had about 15 head of horses. One day he said, "Get what you can for them - and good luck."

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - It's hard to believe it has been 13 years since Shug McGaughey has had a runner in the Kentucky Derby.

As the private trainer for the Phipps family over that period, McGaughey gets to work with some of the best pedigrees in the game. But, through lack of colts, injury, or just misfortune, McGaughey has not been represented in the world's most famous horse race since Easy Goer and Awe Inspiring finished second and third behind Sunday Silence in 1989.

JAMAICA, N.Y. - Sharp Performance, who was pulled up with severe ligament injuries to both his forelegs in Saturday's Fort Marcy Handicap at Aqueduct, was in a battle for his life Monday morning.

Sharp Perfomance, a 4-year-old, suffered extensive damage to his suspensory ligaments in his forelegs. The colt's trainer, David Donk, described the injuries as life-threatening and career-ending.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - There are more pressing issues Wednesday at Hollywood Park than determining whether or not Futural can rejoin the handicap-division elite this spring.

A pick six carryover of $683,636 is expected to generate a massive pick six pool of roughly $3.5 million, and the principal concern for bettors is deciding whether or not Futural is a singleton in a classified allowance that goes as race 7.

JAMAICA, N.Y. - After a tough trip, Gander, the odds-on favorite of the second division of the $81,200 Kings Point Handicap at Aqueduct, finished a game second, beaten a nose by Mount Intrepid.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. - Miner's Prize rallied under Gerard Melancon to capture Saturday's $100,000 Bosselman-Gus Fonner Handicap at Fonner Park.

Over a track muddied by morning rains, Melancon guided Miner's Prize through traffic on the far turn and Miner's Prize closed strongly to score by a head in 1:48.80 for the 1 1/16 miles.

Private Horde overcame a slow start to score by four lengths in the $50,000 Golden Circle Stakes for 3-year-olds at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa, Saturday night.

Private Horde ($15.40) was squeezed back a bit leaving the gate and settled off a blazing pace set by Gone Off and Cockle Burr Man, who dueled through a half-mile in 44.51 seconds over a sloppy track. Private Horde gained the lead with a furlong to go and stopped the clock in 1:10.07 for six furlongs.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Against the backdrop of the 128th Kentucky Derby - from which not a single horse has defected for the last week or so - the ever-changing composition of the prospective field for the 128th Kentucky Oaks is providing a stark contrast.

The most notable defection from the Oaks field came with the death of the champion filly Tempera, who was euthanized Sunday night after suffering from laminitis.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The $400,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on Saturday will have a distinctly international flavor.

A shipper from Ireland and horses from throughout the United States, including several whose careers started overseas, are expected to run in the richest running of the Woodford Reserve, the race scheduled immediately before the Kentucky Derby.

Beat Hollow, third in the 2000 English Derby, may be favored but is still searching for his first stakes win in the United States.