LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The prospect of heavy rain here late Thursday night and into the morning fell well short of some dire early predictions, giving horsemen a “good” racetrack, though tighter than it has been, to train over Friday. The threat of possible adverse weather and track conditions had little to do with the fact none of the 15 potential Kentucky Derby starters stabled on the grounds worked Friday at Churchill Downs. The majority of that activity is scheduled to take place Saturday and Sunday mornings with the forecast calling for clear skies at least into Monday.

ELMONT, N.Y. – The Belt Parkway was the conduit for the major activity Friday in preparation for the 140th Kentucky Derby.

One had to navigate the eight-mile stretch of highway – during rush hour no less – from Belmont Park to Aqueduct in order to see the three New York-based 3-year-olds put in their final serious workouts leading up to the Run for the Roses.

At Aqueduct, Withers and Gotham winner Samraat worked a mile in 1:45.91 shortly after 7 a.m. Eastern.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – There will likely be more than 150,000 people in attendance at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day, but it shouldn’t be hard to spot Wildcat Red’s co-owner Salvador Delfino, even amongst a crowd of that magnitude.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Wicked Strong, Samraat, and Uncle Sigh – the first, second, and fifth finishers in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial – all put in their last major workouts Friday in New York for the $2 million Kentucky Derby on May 3 at Churchill Downs.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The donkeys. He would only ride the donkeys around his father’s goat farm because the horses were terrifying. But the donkeys, they were okay.

Then one day, he remembers he was probably 7, he summoned enough courage to climb atop one of the farm ponies.

ELMONT, N.Y. – It has been eight months since Jose Espinoza was thrown from his mount, Heading to Toga, a few yards past the finish line on Alabama Day at Saratoga.

[bc_video_id:322279:]LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The fillies took center stage during the Oaks/Derby training session at Churchill Downs on Thursday, with the only four workouts during that period turned in by horses currently pointing to next Friday’s Kentucky Oaks.

If it is late April, it is the time of year when rank longshots and abject no-hopers come out of the woodwork to clutter the Kentucky Derby field with their unreasonable dreams. No need to point fingers. They know who they are. As long as there are 20 stalls available in the two starting gates at Churchill Downs on Derby Day, there will be horses involved who will be lucky to make the course, let alone have a shot at a piece of the prize.

Blame it on the Bird.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – With a slew of final prerace workouts still to come, all was quiet on the Kentucky Derby front Thursday at Churchill Downs, where overnight rain into Friday morning was expected to keep local activity light until Saturday.

CYPRESS, Calif. – California Chrome jogged and galloped nearly two miles and was schooled in the starting gate at Los Alamitos on Thursday.

During a 15-minute span in which he had the track to himself, California Chrome was jogged to the gate, where he stood briefly. Trainer Art Sherman said California Chrome has been schooled in the starting gate two or three times a week since his win in the Santa Anita Derby on April 5.