LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Brian Lynch suspects Classic Causeway might have displaced his palate in his last race, perhaps accounting for the colt’s poor performance, so the trainer is tweaking a couple of things.

“We’ve always kept things very, very simple with him by running him in a snaffle [bridle],” said Lynch, who on Saturday will saddle Classic Causeway for owner-breeders Clarke Cooper and Patrick O’Keefe in the 148th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A little after 8:30 Monday morning, trainer D. Wayne Lukas was sitting in his office at Churchill Downs talking about Ethereal Road, whom Lukas the day before had been contemplating entering in either the Kentucky Derby or Pat Day Mile on Saturday.

Lukas said owners Aaron Sones and Julie Gilbert had decided they wanted to enter the Kentucky Derby, even it meant being on the also-eligible list.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It was heartbreak on Kentucky Derby entry morning for the one-eyed New York-bred gelding Un Ojo, who was not entered for Saturday's classic after emerging from his final work with a bruised hoof.

Trainer Ricky Courville characterized the issue as a minor one with terrible timing.

"He'll live to fight another day," said Courville, who would have been saddling his first Kentucky Derby starter.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Much has been made of Tim Yakteen, a former assistant to trainer Bob Baffert, saddling his first Kentucky Derby horses this year in Taiba and Messier, both of whom were transferred to Yakteen due to a Baffert suspension.

But flying far under the radar is another former Baffert employee, Bhupat Seemar, who will also saddle his first Derby starter in Summer Is Tomorrow, the runner-up in the Group 2 UAE Derby.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Almost all of the final works for the Kentucky Derby are now complete after Dubai-based Summer Is Tomorrow logged a half-mile breeze on Monday morning. 

Summer Is Tomorrow, working on his own during the training window reserved for Derby and Kentucky Oaks horses immediately following the first morning renovation break, went a half-mile in 49.23 seconds, on the watch of Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Welsch. 

Churchill Downs
Weather: Cloudy 
Temperature: 66  
Track: Fast

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The weather created a bit of havoc, both locally and out of town, on the training schedules for two of the key players in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, although in the end both Louisiana Derby winner Epicenter and Florida Derby hero White Abarrio not only completed their important final preps without incident but to rave reviews as well.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The rain had lifted, the air was fresh and the morning glorious around 8:30 on Sunday at Churchill Downs. A little earlier, trainer Steve Asmussen had sent out Epicenter, the Louisiana Derby winner, for his final workout in advance of Saturday’s 148th Kentucky Derby, a drill that was so impressive Asmussen could barely contain his excitement.

Asked how he was doing, Asmussen said, “I’ll let you know at 6 o’clock Saturday, but right now I’m feeling great.”

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Trainer Brad Cox said Sunday morning that his three Kentucky Derby starters – Cyberknife, Zozos, and Tawny Port – had emerged from their Saturday workouts in “fantastic” condition.

All three horses merely walked Cox’s shed row on Sunday morning. Cox said the trio would jog on the main track Monday before resuming regular gallops Tuesday. Cox said the gallops would be restrained throughout the week leading up to the Derby.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Making official what had been expected for the last few weeks, trainer Chad Brown on Sunday said that Early Voting would skip Saturday’s 148th Kentucky Derby and instead point to the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 21.

Early Voting’s defection enables Pioneer of Medina to make the body of the Derby field. Entries for the Derby were to be taken Monday. The field is limited to 20 starters based on points earned in designated qualifying races. Up to four also-eligibles may be entered, but would be scratched by Friday morning if there are no defections by then.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The majority of the miles that Kentucky Derby candidates will log in their final serious breezes have been covered. One of the few moves remaining is that by Summer Is Tomorrow, who is expected to breeze four furlongs on Monday morning as part of his long journey to the Derby gate.