When trainer Bobby Frankel thought Empire Maker had more to give, he tried blinkers to bring out the best in the colt. Significantly sharper performances were the result, with victories in both the Florida Derby and the Wood Memorial. Now Empire Maker is the Kentucky Derby favorite.

Neil Drysdale, who trains Ministers Wild Cat, and Ron Ellis, the trainer of Aswhatimtalknbout, are hoping blinkers can bring similar improvement to their top 3-year-old prospects. Like the band members of "Spinal Tap," they are turning the knob to 11, trying to get that little something extra.

WHO'S HOT

He did not get tired. He did not displace his palate. He did not bleed; a little, maybe, but nothing that should have caused him to stop. He did not get hurt. He underwent all kinds of diagnostic tests. Still nothing. Ocean Terrace's performance in the Santa Anita Derby remains a mystery.

But absent any compelling reason not to go on, trainer Bob Hess Jr. has decided to give the Saint Ballado colt a chance to redeem himself in Saturday's $325,000 Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland.

Empire Maker arrived at Churchill Downs on Sunday, and Peace Rules arrived there Monday, as trainer Bobby Frankel's Kentucky Derby runners settled in to begin final preparations for the May 3 Kentucky Derby.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Before the Louisiana Derby, Badge of Silver was the hottest prospect for the Kentucky Derby. He had run consecutive races in which he earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 108. His trainer, Ronny Werner, was getting inundated with media requests. And Empire Maker had yet to run in the Florida Derby.

WHO'S HOT

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Buddy Gil bled from his nostrils in the test barn following his victory in Saturday's Santa Anita Derby, which puts him on the California state veterinarian's bleeders' list but should not prevent him from competing in the Kentucky Derby on May 3.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Empire Maker was the solid 5-2 favorite when the third and final pool of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager closed Sunday, while Storm Flag Flying was the 7-2 favorite in the inaugural Kentucky Oaks Future Wager.

Empire Maker will return $7 for a $2 Pool 3 win wager if he wins the Derby on May 3. Only one Derby Future payoff has been lower, the Pool 3 return for Fusaichi Pegasus ($6.60), when he won in 2000. Empire Maker is scheduled for his final Derby prep Saturday in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Empire Maker was a 3-1 favorite midway through the second day of wagering in Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which will remain open until Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

As of 5:45 p.m. Friday, and with just over $37,000 in the pool, Empire Maker was the favorite over the mutuel field (6-1), Badge of Silver (7-1), Atswhatimtalknbout (10-1), Indy Dancer (11-1), and Kafwain (15-1).

ARCADIA, Calif. - David Flores was not merely returning a favor when he decided to ride Atswhatimtalknbout instead of Domestic Dispute last month. He certainly appreciated being elevated by trainer Ron Ellis after Chris McCarron, Ellis's main rider, retired last summer. But Flores has plenty of business from other clients, including Bob Baffert, who trains Domestic Dispute and has far more horses than Ellis.

No, Flores's reason was quite basic.

"He looked," Flores said Wednesday morning at Santa Anita, "like he had more talent than any other 3-year-old."