Classic Empire (photo by Robin Buchanan).
- Multiple graded stakes winner Gunnevera arrived at Churchill Downs by van from Florida on April 23 and settled into Barn 41 to prepare for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.
- McCraken, third last out in Keeneland’s Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes, is scheduled to breeze at 8:30 a.m. on April 24 at Churchill Downs.
- Grade 1 Arkansas Derby champion Classic Empire will bypass the dedicated daily workout periods for Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks hopefuls and continue to train earlier in the first two sets at Churchill Downs.
- Trainer John Shirreffs said Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby hero Gormley will record a final breeze at that track on April 29 before shipping to Churchill Downs on May 1.
- Shirreffs also said that Santa Anita Derby show finisher Royal Mo will not make the trip to Churchill Downs with his stablemate because it appears unlikely that he will make it into the 20-horse field from his current 24th position on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.
- Maiden Sonneteer is set to leave Santa Anita for Churchill Downs on April 29 in the hopes of getting into the Kentucky Derby gate.
- Trainer Chad Brown told the Daily Racing Form that Grade 2 Wood Memorial show finisher Cloud Computing will definitely not run in the May 6 Kentucky Derby and instead be pointed to the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes two weeks later.
- Brown is pointing undefeated Timeline to the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park on May 13.
- Bobby On Fleek and You’re To Blame are slated to represent Brown in the Grade 3 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs on the Derby day undercard.
- Multiple graded stakes winner Made You Look is being pointed to the Grade 2 American Turf on Churchill Downs’ Derby undercard.
- Santa Anita Derby fourth-place finisher Reach the World was euthanized on April 22 after suffering a fatal injury in a workout.
