Horsemen would go anywhere to find a Kentucky Derby horse, and this year’s prospective runners come from many avenues – homebreds born as close as Kentucky or as far away as Japan; runners purchased at major North American auction houses such as Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton; and even claiming races.

Among those, War of Will’s journey has been roundabout. The colt was born in Kentucky but took a side trip to France, where bloodstock agent Justin Casse, brother of trainer Mark Casse, purchased him on behalf of owner Gary Barber.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Six months later, trainer Shug McGaughey still wonders what might have been in the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs. Now, the Hall of Fame trainer wonders what might be in the Kentucky Derby.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – An oversubscribed field of 3-year-old fillies headed by Bellafina was entered Monday for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks, to be run Friday for the 145th time at Churchill Downs.

Maximum Security, the undefeated winner of the Grade 1 Florida Derby, on Monday had his final serious training session prior to Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.

Maximum Security will be credited with a half-mile workout in 53.80 seconds over the main track at the Palm Meadows training center in South Florida. Trainer Jason Servis clocked him a mile in 1:58.96 and Palm Meadows clocker Bryan Walls had the last half-mile of that move in 53.80 seconds.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The first time trainer Bob Baffert ran a horse in the Kentucky Derby, Cavonnier lost by a nose and Baffert was crestfallen, wondering if he’d ever get another chance.

As it turned out, he won the Derby the very next year, and the year after that, too. And in the two decades since, Baffert has been the most successful trainer in both the Derby and the Triple Crown, equaling and breaking records along the way.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Jack and Laurie Wolf throw a party at their house here in Louisville every year on the night of the Kentucky Derby, but last year’s was far more celebratory than usual. Earlier in the day, Justify, a colt in whom their Starlight Racing partnership had a minority interest, had been draped in roses in the winner’s circle at Churchill Downs.

Quality Road made a statement in April when he sired the winners of the Santa Anita Derby and Santa Anita Oaks on the same day. Currently the nation’s leading sire by earnings, he’ll get a chance to widen his margin in emphatic fashion when Roadster is among the favorites in the Kentucky Derby and Bellafina starts as the heavy choice in the Kentucky Oaks.

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After more than 20 years owning horses, Mike Gatsas resigned himself to the fact he might never have a horse good enough to run in the Kentucky Derby.

Then, one morning last summer, Gatsas watched an unraced 2-year-old by Candy Ride that he owns in partnership with Randy Hill put in a workout at Saratoga.

“I might have one,” Gatsas thought.

Nine months later, Gatsas will participate in his first Kentucky Derby on Saturday with Vekoma, a winner of three of four career starts, including the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.

CHURCHILL DOWNS  
Weather: Cloudy
Temp.: 54
Track: Fast

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Sunday was by far the busiest morning yet on the Kentucky Derby workout front this week at Churchill Downs, with plenty of action and a little bit of craziness packed into the 15-minute window set aside for Derby and Oaks horses immediately after the first renovation break.

CHURCHILL DOWNS
Weather: Sunny
Track: Fast 
Temp: 49

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The skies were clear, the track was fast, and the action hot and heavy during the 15-minute training session reserved for prospective Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks starters Saturday at Churchill Downs. It was a sharp contrast to the past couple of mornings, when stormy weather and a wet racetrack reduced most of the activity during the Derby/Oaks training window to routine gallops.