Ken McPeek grew up in Lexington, Ky., and graduated with a business degree from the University of Kentucky in 1985. He began his training career that same year and since has won more than 1,300 races for more than $56.5 million in stable earnings. Among his greatest victories was the 70-1 upset by Sarava in the 2002 Belmont Stakes and a dead-heat victory last summer with Golden Ticket in the Travers Stakes. He has been the leading trainer at Keeneland four times and at Churchill Downs twice.

The first time my editor at the Daily Racing Form approached me about reporting on Kentucky Derby workouts was during the winter of 2000. The conversation went something like this.

“I’ve never really clocked horses in the morning,” I told the boss. “Heck, I don’t even own a stopwatch.”

“Well go out and get one,” he said. “How hard can it be?”

Last year, in an attempt to avoid the often-volatile weather in Kentucky in the spring, trainer Todd Pletcher decided to remain at Palm Meadows with his Kentucky Derby runners until the week of the race, and watched it rain, rain, rain in south Florida.So this year, after running his horses in preps in New York, Kentucky, Florida, Arkansas, and Louisiana, Pletcher consolidated his Derby runners at Churchill Downs, where on Wednesday it rained, rained, rained.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A field of nine 3-year-olds is set to clash Saturday night at Churchill Downs in the Derby Trial, the traditional spring-meet opener that may or may not yield a final starter for the 139th Kentucky Derby a week later.

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[bc_video_id:290201:]LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The rains came a little later than expected at Churchill Downs on Wednesday. But once they arrived, shortly before 8 a.m, it rained in earnest for the remainder of the morning, dramatically altering the condition of the racetrack by the time it reopened for the special Kentucky Derby/Oaks training session 30 minutes later.[:slideshow-right:]

Last Sunday, I was in Queens, N.Y., at St. John’s University to see a friend’s son play Richard III. As the play was nearing its conclusion, Richard shrieked the words that have been rolling around in my head for weeks: “A horse, a horse – my kingdom for a horse!”

The king had issues of war and peace back in the day. History shows that it did not turn out well for him.

I have this issue today. I need a horse. Or perhaps two for an exacta, or three for a trifecta, or, most delightfully, four for a superfecta.

[bc_video_id:290123:]LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The weather is beginning to warm up here, but action on the racetrack cooled down for Kentucky Derby prospects Tuesday at Churchill Downs following a flurry of activity the previous two mornings.[:slideshow-right:]

There were no official workouts from prospective Derby starters here Tuesday, although several did turn in strong gallops worthy of putting on the watch during the special training session that began at 8:30 a.m.

Churchill Downs racing officials are expecting perhaps eight or nine starters Saturday night, when the spring meet opens with the Grade 3, $175,000 Derby Trial.

While a full, 20-horse field looks likely for the 139th Kentucky Derby on May 4 at Churchill Downs, just who will obtain those coveted final spots remained in doubt Monday, and likely will remain so through this weekend, when the final race worth points, the $175,000-added Derby Trial, is run.