DEL MAR, Calif. – Back on May 2, the day the Kentucky Derby originally was supposed to be run, Art Collector was about 25 miles up the road from Churchill Downs at the Skylight Training Center, having an easy day of training following a half-mile drill the day before, his second recorded work after Tommy Drury took over as his trainer. He would not make his first start of the year until May 17, the day after the Preakness originally would have been run.

WHO’S HOT

Uncle Chuck

Uncle Mo – Forest Music, by Unbridled’s Song

Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet ($250,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman)

Uncle Chuck, among the late bloomers to arrive on this year’s elongated Kentucky Derby trail, will get a litmus test when he challenges divisional leader Tiz the Law this Saturday at Saratoga. The colt is the product of crossing a young classic sire over a classy sprint mare who has developed into an outstanding broodmare.

The connections of Major Fed considered running the Ghostzapper colt in the Runhappy Ellis Park Derby on Sunday before deciding instead to train him straight into the Kentucky Derby.

“We’re happy with where we are with him and comfortable with the points situation,” said Travis Foley, assistant to his father, Greg Foley. “Everything’s goo,d and we didn’t feel like we needed the race in between.”

:: KENTUCKY DERBY 2020: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more

A full field is expected Sunday for the $200,000 Runhappy Ellis Park Derby, one of the final chances for a 3-year-old to earn his way into the 146th Kentucky Derby.

Even with Art Collector as a heavy favorite, racing officials at Ellis in western Kentucky were expecting a capacity field of 12 for the 1 1/8-mile race. Entries were to be drawn Thursday.

:: KENTUCKY DERBY 2020: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Linda Rice has enjoyed a productive summer at Saratoga shipping horses in from Belmont Park a few days before they race and not breezing them over the main track here. She hopes it’s a trend that continues Saturday when she runs Max Player in the Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers Stakes, the marquee event of the Saratoga meet.

Listed, $98,000 Shared Belief Stakes, 1 1/16 miles, Del Mar, Aug. 1, 2020
(50 Derby qualifying points for first, 20 for second, 10 for third, 5 for fourth)

Winner: Thousand Words, by Pioneerof the Nile
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Abel Cedillo
Owner: Albaugh Family Stables and Spendthrift Farm
Beyer Speed Figure: 104

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - On paper and on the track, Bill Mott views South Bend as a horse who is better on dirt than he is on turf. So, when presented the options of running the 3-year-old in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers or the $500,000 Saratoga Derby on turf on Aug. 15, to him it’s a no-brainer.

“I’m not interested in running him on the grass until I exhaust the dirt options,” Mott said Sunday. “I don’t see any reason to do it.”

DEL MAR, Calif. – Thousand Words and Honor A. P. are both headed to the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs after emerging in good order from the Shared Belief Stakes on Saturday at Del Mar, their trainers said Sunday morning.

The Shared Belief was the final West Coast prep for the Derby, and it produced a surprisingly high 104 Beyer Speed Figure after the four runners all finished within 1 1/2 lengths of each other.

DEL MAR, Calif. – The postponement of the Kentucky Derby has allowed several late-developing 3-year-olds a chance to make the field, as well as a reprieve for a colt who was headed the wrong direction three months ago.

Thousand Words, whose early promise at 2 had largely failed to translate at 3, continued his second act with a victory on Saturday in the $98,000 Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar, which came at the expense of the West Coast’s top-ranked Derby prospect, Honor A. P.