LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Maybe all of the many people who bet the mutuel field in the first two pools of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager were onto something.

In the first of three pools in the annual Future Wager, no fewer than 10 of the 17 horses entered Wednesday for the Derby were part of the "field" - the 24th wagering option that includes all 3-year-olds except 23 separately listed interests. The outcome was almost the same with Pool 2 - nine of the horses that eventually made the Derby were part of the field.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Of the 17 jockeys in Saturday's Kentucky Derby, only four have previously won the race. There are several well-known riders, such as Jose Santos and Alex Solis, whose careers lack only a win in the Derby, and there are some well-known first-time Derby riders, such as Tyler Baze, an Eclipse Award-winning apprentice, and Rosemary Homeister Jr., who will become only the fifth woman to ride in the race.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The dream of every owner is to have a horse good enough to run in the Kentucky Derby.

Only a few are fortunate enough to live that dream. But for the majority of the 12 partners who make up the Azalea Stable, the dream will come true with the first horse they ever purchased - Offlee Wild, who will run in Saturday's Kentucky Derby.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - There was no question Empire Maker would be entered on Wednesday in the Kentucky Derby, but the question remains whether he will run on Saturday, though trainer Bobby Frankel insists "he will be all right."

Empire Maker, who is being treated for a bruise to his right front hoof, landed post 12 when a field of 17 was entered for Saturday's 129th Derby at Churchill Downs. He is the 8-5 favorite on the line set by Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form's national handicapper. Churchill's morning-line maker, Mike Battaglia, made Empire Maker 6-5.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Kafwain, the runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last October, has been diagnosed with a tendon injury that will keep him out of training until late in the year, trainer Bob Baffert said on Wednesday.

The injury was first detected on Tuesday after Kafwain worked five furlongs with stablemate Indian Express in preparation for Saturday's Kentucky Derby. Kafwain was declared from the Kentucky Derby.

"He has a tendon injury," Baffert said. "It's pretty small, but he'll be out for four to six months."

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - With the Kentucky Derby favorite, Empire Maker, cooling his sore heel back at the barn and more than one-third of the prospective field having worked the previous morning, training hours were relatively quiet here on Wednesday. The morning offered few, if any, clues to solving the Derby puzzle, now just three days away.

A total of 17 horses were entered Wednesday morning for Saturday's 129th running of the Kentucky Derby. The official post position draw will be broadcast live on Wednesday from 5:00-6:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN. Connections of the 17 entrants will select their post positions in the following order:

1. Offlee Wild

2. Funny Cide

3. Outta Here

4. Lone Star Sky

5. Buddy Gil

6. Brancusi

7. Empire Maker

8. Peace Rules

9. Indian Express

10. Atswhatimtalknbout

11. Ten Cents a Shine

12. Domestic Dispute

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Empire Maker is suffering from a bruise to his right front foot that needed attention Tuesday morning from both a veterinarian and a farrier, but trainer Bobby Frankel believed the injury would not prevent Empire Maker from running in the 129th Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Still, the timing is not ideal. Foot bruises can clear up quickly, but can prove problematic if they linger or develop into something more serious. That is why Frankel and his staff jumped on the problem Tuesday after Empire Maker jogged one mile around the track.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Tuesday was the busiest of all Kentucky Derby training sessions with seven workouts on the tab, six at Churchill Downs and one at Belmont Park in New York. The Churchill Downs racetrack, which has been extremely fast during much of the past week, appeared to be quicker than ever Tuesday.

Work of the day

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The defection of Kafwain, a bruised foot suffered by Kentucky Derby favorite Empire Maker, and a solid workout turned in by their own horse Tuesday morning prompted the connections of Lone Star Sky to announce they would run their horse in Saturday's Derby.

Trainer Tom Amoss also announced that Shane Sellers would ride Lone Star Sky. Sellers is 0 for 11 in the Derby.