Man o’ War was denied a chance at winning the Triple Crown by his owner’s reluctance to send a young 3-year-old to the Kentucky Derby. Seventeen years later, the same owner, Samuel Riddle, had no such reservations, shipping Man o’ War’s son War Admiral to Churchill Downs.

The record crowd “of inestimable size” at the 63rd Derby saw owner and trainer Mary Hirsch become the first woman to saddle a Derby starter in No Sir, but at the end of 1 1/4 miles in 2:03 1/5, the only story was War Admiral’s dominance.

In May 1983, the flashy chestnut Fighting Fit gave Jerry Moss his first big hit in the racing business, winning the Mervyn LeRoy Handicap at Hollywood Park. Two months later, “Every Breath You Take” by The Police reached No. 1 on the pop music top 20 for the A&M record company founded by Moss and Herb Alpert and stayed there through the rest of the summer.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – After raising some eyebrows for the wrong reasons during training hours at Churchill Downs the previous two mornings, Always Dreaming did so again for all the right ones on Friday, when topping a group of eight prospective Kentucky Derby starters to work on a calm but crisp morning under the twin spires.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The anticipation of April showers on Saturday and the desire to wear May flowers resulted in a flurry of workouts at Churchill Downs on Friday in preparation for next Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, with eight prospects drilling here, and two others elsewhere, totaling half the 20-horse field that will run for the roses.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The relatively untested Battle of Midway disputed the pace in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 8 before relinquishing the lead in the final furlong.

Battle of Midway finished second by a half-length to Gormley and earned sufficient qualifying points to secure a berth in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs next Saturday. If Battle of Midway is a factor in the famous race, he will do so with a different running style.

On the first Saturday in May, the marching band will play “My Old Kentucky Home,” and the field will file onto the Churchill Downs main track past the rose-trimmed winner’s circle that is used only one weekend a year. As many as three horses will run in the name of Calumet Farm, which has won a record eight editions of the Kentucky Derby.

But while a winner would add to that history, he would be the first of the group to carry the colors of current Calumet owner Brad Kelley, a deeply private man who assumed control of the historic property five years ago.

For a Kentucky Derby starter, Irap has had a fluctuating status in the last five months.

Last December, Irap was a game second to the highly regarded Mastery in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity, triggering Triple Crown hopes for owners Paul and Zillah Reddam and trainer Doug O’Neill.

“I thought he had that kind of ability,” O’Neill said this week.

Within a few months, those hopes were fading, dimmed by a second in the Mine That Bird Derby and a fourth in the Sunland Park Derby in New Mexico in March.

Bodemeister and Union Rags were major factors on the 2012 Triple Crown trail, and five years later, both are expected to have starters from their first crops in the Kentucky Derby.

Bodemeister, who finished third on last year’s freshman sire list for WinStar Farm, won the Arkansas Derby before finishing a hard-fought second to I’ll Have Another in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. His first crop is highlighted by Always Dreaming, expected to be among the favorites in the Kentucky Derby after a five-length romp in the Florida Derby.

CHURCHILL DOWNS

Weather: Rainy

Fast

Temp. 61

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Rain prior to and during training hours at Churchill Downs on Thursday did little to disrupt the plans of the prospective Kentucky Derby and Oaks starters on the grounds, save for Miss Sky Warrior, who got her scheduled half-mile breeze in about 90 minutes earlier than originally expected.

Louisiana Derby winner Girvin, recovering from a quarter crack in his right front hoof, swam and was treated in a hyperbaric chamber at the Kesmarc Rehabilitation facility in Lexington, Ky., on Thursday rather than training at Keeneland, trainer Joe Sharp said.