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ARCADIA, Calif. – Bob Baffert must have the source code, because he keeps going in for more. It’s a month before the Kentucky Derby, and, like seemingly every spring, here he is with a couple of top contenders, this year’s models being Jaycito and The Factor. Yes, there are some familiar names among trainers on the Derby trail every year, but since his first appearance in 1996, Baffert has been the most consistent in terms of achievement.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. − Todd Pletcher operates the most successful training operation in the country. Coming off an Eclipse Award-winning season, Pletcher has gotten off to a rousing start in 2011 with 84 winners, including 26 stakes, and his horses have earned more than $4.2 million.

LEXINGTON, Ky. − In 2006, when they forked over the money for their first broodmare, Mike Lauffer and Bill Cubbedge thought $135,000 looked like a pretty serious investment in a horse. But they have gotten more than they dreamed out of Oatsee. Two years after buying her, they resold her for $1.55 million. Now her son Shackleford, who finished a head behind Dialed In in the Florida Derby, could take them to the Kentucky Derby.

“I attribute most of it to luck,” Lauffer said. “You just have to enjoy it.”

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Trainer Jeff Bonde said Sway Away will most likely add blinkers for the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 16 after he breezed six furlongs in the equipment Thursday morning at Oaklawn Park.

Sway Away covered the distance in 1:12.60, under jockey Luis Quinonez. Patrick Valenzuela has the mount in the Arkansas Derby.

KENTUCKY DERBY NEWS: Track all the 3-year-olds on the Triple Crown trail

WHO’S HOT

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Elite Alex and J P’s Gusto are horses with natural speed, but you would not have known it watching their last starts. Both raced farther off the pace than usual and as a result will add blinkers for the Arkansas Derby. Elite Alex worked in the equipment Wednesday morning at Oaklawn, when he covered six furlongs from the gate in a bullet 1:11.60.

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OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The hard part may be over for Uncle Mo as far as Saturday’s $1 million Wood Memorial is concerned.

He got here.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The draw for the Santa Anita Derby had just taken place Wednesday morning when trainer Bob Baffert came barreling into the Santa Anita racing office and found out that, only seconds earlier, Jaycito had drawn the far outside post in the field of 11.

“Seriously? Really?” Baffert said, briefly disappointed. Then, in typical Baffert fashion, he joked, “You guys need to re-draw,” then added, “He likes the outside rail, anyway,” referring to Jaycito’s flirtation with the outer rail in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Myung Kwon Cho had been in the United States for 10 years when his curiosity finally got the best of him and he announced to his wife, Lydia, “Let’s go to the races.”

Horse races, that is, Santa Anita style, and a beautiful day it turned out to be, that sparkling Saturday morning in April 1988. Only problem was, the Chos arrived a bit late, and wherever they tried to penetrate the main racetrack parking lot they were turned away for lack of space. Oh well, Cho thought, there’s always another day.