Empire Maker's Bruised Foot Reason For Concern
Apr.na reported everything was good with his two Derby hopefuls Tuesday morning.na said.na has saddled a record 39 Kentucky Derby starters but he had never attended the Derby until 1981 when he saddled his first starter, Partez, who finished third.na, who at age 67 is the oldest trainer with a horse in Derby 129. "I can't remember the first one I ever saw on TV."

SIR CHEROKEE - Arkansas Derby winner Sir Cherokee worked five furlongs after the renovation break under Derby rider Terry Thompson in 1:00 3/5. "Today, we were not worried about a time. We just wanted to stretch his legs out and keep him relaxed," Thompson said. "The time was probably pretty slow, but that was our whole objective for him to pick it up the last quarter and gallop out nice around the turn. He felt great and they have got him ready to run." Trainer Michael Tomlinson, who decided to work Sir Cherokee at Churchill Downs instead of the Trackside Training Center because he had the filly Love Talkin scheduled to work on the turf under Jon Court, liked the work. "Terry felt he was going a lot slower," Tomlinson said. "I think that kind of tells us just how he is getting over the surface. We have known for quite some time that he runs well here. "It was a little faster than I wanted to go, but I was really pleased with the way he finished. That is what I was looking for. His last quarter was sub 24 seconds and he galloped out strong. We have done our job. Now it is up to Terry and the horse." Thompson, who rode on the Kentucky circuit in the 1990s, headed back to Prairie Meadows in Iowa to ride the Tuesday card and was scheduled to return to Louisville on Wednesday to prepare for his first Derby ride. "I'm excited to be here, thrilled," said Thompson. "I think if we get some good, early fractions in the race, I don't see why we wouldn't get the same kind of effort as in Arkansas. Our whole key is going to be how the race sets up on the front end. If they put up a good pace, we will be running."

SUPAH BLITZ - Trainer Manny Tortora was on hand to supervise Supah Blitz's final breeze before the Derby Tuesday morning, and liked what he saw as the colt drilled a half-mile in :46 4/5 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 with jockey Rosemary Homeister Jr. aboard. "I'm happy with the work," Tortora said. "He went along easy and he came back good. The work looked a little fast, but this track is faster than Calder. I would equate this work to a :47 or :48 at Calder." Clockers caught Supah Blitz in splits of :12 3/5, :24 3/5 and :35 3/5. Homeister, who will be riding in her first Kentucky Derby, was happy with the colt's drill. "I just sat on him most of the way," she said. "I asked him a little inside the eighth pole, but he did it all on his own." Tortora will be saddling his third Derby starter. His first Derby horse, Sir Pinder in 1992, finished 15th, but Tortora brought a good one to the race in 1995 , and Mecke - the sire of Supah Blitz - came from last to finish fifth despite a lot of trouble. "This colt is closer to Mecke than any horse I've had," Tortora said. "He's got the same temperament and the same running style. I just hope he has different racing luck."

TEN MOST WANTED - The Illinois Derby winner walked the shedrow in a green cooler in Barn 45 Tuesday morning following his impressive five-panel drill in :59 2/5 Monday at Churchill Downs. Trainer Wallace Dollase, called "Wally" by one and all, was happy with his charge and with the way he continued to handle himself leading up to Saturday's 129th edition of the Kentucky Derby. "He ate up yesterday - did he ever," Dollase said. "He not only eats up, he eats up fast. He's like me. He's the biggest eater I've ever had in my barn. He's ferocious. When I walk him and we go by a bale of hay, he'll take a chomp. He's something." The California-based trainer said his Deputy Commander colt will return to the track Wednesday morning. "We'll play it by ear tomorrow," he said. "Normally I'd jog a horse following a work and a walk. But if he's full of himself - and this one might be - you're better off to go ahead and gallop him. I'll be up on my pony with him and when we get out there we'll do what we think is right."