Louisiana Derby winner Vicar's in Trouble prepared for a start in the May 3 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands with a five-furlong breeze in 1:00.40 on Saturday morning at Trackside Louisville, the training facility located approximately five miles from Churchill Downs.

"He worked very well and was well in hand," said trainer Mike Maker. "He had a nice gallop out which is what we were looking for and everything was perfect.


Maker (5-0-0-0 in the Derby since 2010) indicated that the Louisiana-bred colt would likely breeze again next Saturday but it would come over the Churchill Downs oval.

Florida Derby runner-up General a Rod is slated for breeze at Churchill Downs "either Tuesday or Wednesday," according to Maker.

Maker, a five-time training champion at Churchill Downs, could have a third Derby starter in Spiral Stakes runner-up Harry's Holiday if there are further defections among the current Top 20. After Cairo Prince (left front ankle) was withdrawn from Derby consideration on Saturday, Harry's Holiday now stands at No. 21 on the "Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by TwinSpires.com" preference list with 20 points and $152,622 in non-restricted stakes earnings.

"We'll see if he gets in," Maker said. "I'll have to talk to the connections and go from there but I'm sure they'll want to run if they can get in. If that's the case then he'll work Saturday at Churchill, too."

Saturday was the first day of exclusive training for Kentucky Derby and Longines Kentucky Oaks contenders from 8:30 a.m.

to 8:45 a.m. Gallopers during that window included Chitu, Danza, Medal Count and Ride on Curlin.

Trainer Todd Pletcher was particularly fond of 41-1 Arkansas Derby surprise Danza. "I loved the way he trained this morning," Pletcher said. "He looked dynamite out there today. So hopefully the next couple of weeks go as well as the last one did. I think he got lost in the shuffle a little bit and most people that went back and looked at his PPs (past performances) after he won the Arkansas Derby were like 'This horse really hadn't done anything wrong.' Trying to get to that two-turn race (into him), we felt the best way was to start back in a seven-furlong allowance. I think it set him up well for (the Arkansas Derby), but I was still pleasantly surprised at how well he handled the mile-and-an-eighth. He finished up really strongly and had his legs up underneath him at the end and galloped out strongly. That's encouraging stuff for here."

Other Derby workouts across the country on Saturday: California Chrome (four furlongs in :47.80 at Los Alamitos) and Candy Boy (five furlongs in :59.80 at Santa Anita). Candy Boy will ship to Churchill Downs on Monday along with the Bob Baffert-trained Hoppertunity.

A Tuesday flight originating from Palm Beach, Fla. will include Intense Holiday, We Miss Artie and Wildcat Red.

California Chrome, the points leader and early Derby favorite, will remain in Southern California until April 28 and be accompanied by Blue Grass winner Dance With Fate. A New York flight on April 28 will include Samraat, Uncle Sigh and Wicked Strong.

In other Derby news, Midnight Hawk, ranked 14th with 52 points, could add to his open stakes money total Saturday. He goes to post in the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Race Course (Race 9 at 6:42 p.m. ET) and could remain under consideration for the Derby. Meanwhile, the winner of Saturday's Lexington (Race 9 at 5:13 p.m. ET), a "wild card" race at Keeneland on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, will earn 10 points. A win by Ami's Holiday would give him 20 points overall and put him ahead of Vinceremos, who is No. 20 on the leaderboard, but owner Ivan Dalos said Friday the Derby would not be under consideration.

In Longines Kentucky Oaks news, Pletcher's duo of Gazelle Stakes one-two My Miss Sophia and Got Lucky worked in tandem during the special 8:30-8:45 a.m. training period at Churchill Downs. My Miss Sophia, who raced on the inside, finished a neck in front of Got Lucky during their half-mile breeze in :48. They recorded splits of :12, :24 and :35.80 and galloped out five-eighths of a mile in 1:01.60.

"I thought they both breezed very well," Pletcher said. "They seemed to handle the racetrack fine. I'm very happy. They both seemed to have settled in well since their races in New York. I like the way they're training. They're different kind of fillies. As you can see from their running styles, My Miss Sophia has a little more early pace and should be involved early. Got Lucky is the kind of filly that wants to settle back and make one run. The one thing for her in this particular Oaks is there should be an honest pace for her to kind of run the way that she wants to."

At Trackside Louisville, Thank You Marylou, currently on the outside looking in at No. 16 for the May 2 Oaks, also breezed Saturday, going four furlongs in :49.80. She's scheduled to be vanned to Churchill Downs for a Saturday, April 26 breeze.

From a Churchill Downs press release

Check out all the Kentucky Derby Contenders

April 18 Barn Notes