LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Monday, April 20, 2026)<\/b>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Mike and K.K.<\/b>\u00a0Ball<\/b>\u2019s\u00a0Chief Wallabee<\/b>, outfitted with blinkers for the second time and with jockey\u00a0Junior Alvarado<\/b>\u00a0aboard, worked five furlongs in company in 1:00 on a crisp Monday morning at Churchill Downs.<\/p>\n
Working during the special training period for Derby and Kentucky Oaks horses from 7:15-7:30 (all times Eastern) with recent maiden winner\u00a0Gilded Bandit<\/b>, Chief Wallabee produced fractions of :24.80, :36.60, :48.20 and 1:00 while galloping out six furlongs in 1:12 and seven-eighths in 1:26.60.<\/p>\n
Working just prior to that for the Oaks was\u00a0Skychai<\/b>\u00a0Racing<\/b>\u2019s\u00a0Lorelei Lee<\/b>\u00a0who worked a half-mile in company in :48.20.<\/p>\n
ALBUS\/INCREDIBOLT<\/b>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Pin Oak Stud<\/b>\u2019s\u00a0Albus<\/b>\u00a0galloped a mile under exercise rider\u00a0Antonio Garcia<\/b>\u00a0at 7:15 for trainer\u00a0Riley Mott<\/b>.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was his first day back (after working a half-mile in :49 on Saturday),\u201d Mott said of the Wood Memorial (GII) winner.<\/p>\n
Before Albus went to the track, Virginia Derby winner\u00a0Incredibolt<\/b>\u00a0arrived at Churchill Downs at 6:15 from Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida. Pin Oak also owns Incredibolt.<\/p>\n
CHIEF WALLLABEE<\/b>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Mike and K.K. Ball<\/b>\u2019s\u00a0Chief<\/b>\u00a0Wallabee<\/b>\u00a0worked with recent maiden winner\u00a0Gilded Bandit<\/b>\u00a0going five furlongs in 1:00. Chief Wallabee produced fractions of :24.80, :36.60, :48.20 and 1:00 while galloping out six furlongs in 1:12 and seven-eighths in 1:26.60 according to Churchill Downs clocker\u00a0John Nichols<\/b>.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a good work,\u201d jockey\u00a0Junior Alvarado<\/b>\u00a0said. \u201cWe added blinkers to see how he would handle them and he was very focused. He had a strong gallop out and did everything we wanted to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trainer\u00a0Bill Mott<\/b>, seeking to become the first trainer since\u00a0Bob Baffert<\/b>\u00a0in 1997-1998 to win the Derby in consecutive years, also was happy with the work from Chief Wallabee who was third in the Florida Derby (GI) in his most recent start.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought it was very good, he finished really well and galloped out strong,\u201d said Mott, who saddled Horse of the Year\u00a0Sovereignty<\/b>\u00a0to victory in Kentucky Derby 151. \u201cHe\u2019s an inexperienced horse (with three starts) and we put the blinkers on to give him a little something to help him focus.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sovereignty, who is scheduled to ship in to the Mott barn here today following his runner-up finish in Saturday\u2019s Oaklawn Handicap (GI), had two works here last spring before his Derby victory. Mott plans a similar path for Chief Wallabee with a final work coming next Sunday or Monday depending on weather.<\/p>\n
COMMANDMENT\/FULLEFFORT\/FURTHER ADO<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 Trainer\u00a0Brad Cox<\/b>\u2019s Derby trio of\u00a0Wathnan Racing<\/b>\u2019s\u00a0Commandment<\/b>,\u00a0St. Elias Stable and Starlight Racing<\/b>\u2019s\u00a0Fulleffort<\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0Spendthrift Farm<\/b>\u2019s\u00a0Further Ado<\/b>\u00a0all galloped early Monday morning.<\/p>\n
Commandment, with assistant trainer and exercise rider\u00a0Katie Tolbert<\/b>\u00a0aboard, jogged one mile and galloped one mile, while stablemates Fulleffort and Further Ado each galloped about 1 \u00bd miles under exercise rider\u00a0Edvin Vargas<\/b>.<\/p>\n
Cox was at Keeneland Monday and will return to Churchill Downs Tuesday.<\/p>\n
EMERGING MARKET<\/b>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Klaravich Stables<\/b>\u2019 undefeated Louisiana Derby (GII) winner\u00a0Emerging Market<\/b>\u00a0arrived at Churchill Downs at 5 a.m. with a string of trainer\u00a0Chad<\/b>\u00a0Brown<\/b>\u2019s horses from Payson Park Training Center in South Florida.<\/p>\n
RIGHT TO PARTY<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 Trainer\u00a0Kenny McPeek<\/b>\u2019s Kentucky Derby hopeful,\u00a0Right to Party<\/b>, jogged Monday morning with exercise rider\u00a0Robby Albarado<\/b>\u00a0aboard for owner\u00a0Chester Broman Sr.<\/b>. It was Right to Party\u2019s first time returning to the track since working five furlongs in 1:00.80 Saturday morning.<\/p>\n
SILENT TACTIC<\/b>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0John Oxley<\/b>\u2019s\u00a0Silent Tactic<\/b>, runner-up in the Arkansas Derby (GI) in his most recent start, jogged two miles in the mile chute shortly after the track opened for training at 5:15.\u00a0Dass Garcia<\/b>\u00a0was aboard.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a lot quieter back in the chute,\u201d said\u00a0Allen<\/b>\u00a0Hardy<\/b>, assistant to trainer\u00a0Mark Casse<\/b>. \u201cHe will train early tomorrow and Mark will be here Wednesday morning and we will probably go during the Derby training period.\u201d<\/p>\n
STARK CONTRAST<\/b>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Amerman Racing\u2019<\/b>s\u00a0Stark Contrast<\/b>\u00a0jogged at 5:30 with exercise rider\u00a0Christian Garcia<\/b>\u00a0aboard for trainer\u00a0Michael McCarthy<\/b>.<\/p>\n
WONDER DEAN<\/b>\u00a0(JPN<\/b>) \u2013\u00a0Yoshinari Yamamoto<\/b>\u2019s\u00a0Wonder Dean<\/b>\u00a0(JPN), jogged in the chute, jogged about one mile on the main track and schooled in the starting gate Monday morning.<\/p>\n
His countrymate and fellow Kentucky Derby contender,\u00a0Danon Bourbon<\/b>, was on a flight Monday to Chicago and is scheduled to undergo 42 hours of USDA quarantine prior to arriving at Churchill Downs.<\/p>\n
ALSO-ELIGIBLES<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 Trainer\u00a0Steve Asmussen<\/b>\u2019s Kentucky Derby hopeful,\u00a0Leland Ackerley Racing<\/b>,\u00a0James Sherwood<\/b>,\u00a0Jode Shupe<\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0John Cilia<\/b>\u2019s\u00a0Chip Honcho<\/b>, jogged at 7:15 a.m. with exercise rider\u00a0Roberto Howell<\/b>\u00a0aboard and was accompanied by Asmussen\u2019s chief assistant\u00a0Scott<\/b>\u00a0Blasi<\/b>\u00a0on the pony. The colt needs one defection to make the field for Kentucky Derby 152.<\/b><\/p>\n
SHAPING UP: THE $5 MILLION KENTUCY DERBY PRESENTED BY WOODFORD RESERVE (GI)<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 Here is the top 20 preference list for the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) in alphabetical order (with jockey and trainer):\u00a0Albus<\/b>\u00a0(Manny Franco, Riley Mott);\u00a0Chief Wallabee<\/b>\u00a0(Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott);\u00a0Commandment<\/b>\u00a0(Luis Saez, Brad Cox);\u00a0Danon Bourbon<\/b>\u00a0(Atsuya Nishimura, Manabu Ikezoe);\u00a0Emerging Market<\/b>\u00a0(Flavien Prat, Chad Brown);\u00a0Further Ado<\/b>\u00a0(John Velazquez, Brad Cox);\u00a0Fulleffort<\/b>\u00a0(Tyler Gaffalione, Brad Cox);\u00a0Golden Tempo<\/b>\u00a0(Jose Ortiz, Cherie DeVaux);\u00a0Incredibolt<\/b>\u00a0(Jaime Torres, Riley Mott);\u00a0Iron<\/b>\u00a0Honor<\/b>\u00a0(TBD, Chad Brown);\u00a0Pavlovian<\/b>\u00a0(Edwin Maldonado, Doug O\u2019Neill);\u00a0Potente<\/b>\u00a0(Juan Hernandez, Bob Baffert);\u00a0Renegade<\/b>\u00a0(Irad Ortiz Jr., Todd Pletcher);\u00a0Right to Party<\/b>\u00a0(Chris Elliott, Kenny McPeek);\u00a0Silent Tactic<\/b>\u00a0(Cristian Torres, Mark Casse);\u00a0Six Speed<\/b>\u00a0(TBD, Bhupat Seemar);\u00a0So Happy<\/b>\u00a0(Mike Smith, Mark Glatt);\u00a0Stark Contrast<\/b>\u00a0(TBD, Michael McCarthy);\u00a0The Puma<\/b>\u00a0(Javier Castellano, Gustavo Delgado);\u00a0Wonder<\/b>\u00a0Dean<\/b>\u00a0(JPN<\/b>) (Ryusei Sakai, Daisuke Takayanagi). Also Eligibles:\u00a0Chip Honcho<\/b>\u00a0(TBD, Steve Asmussen);\u00a0Intrepido<\/b>\u00a0(Hector Berrios, Jeff Mullins);\u00a0Litmus Test<\/b>\u00a0(TBD, Bob Baffert);\u00a0Great White<\/b>\u00a0(TBD, John Ennis).<\/p>\n
LONGINES KENTUCKY OAKS UPDATE<\/b>\u00a0\u2013<\/p>\n
BELLA BALLERINA<\/b>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Godolphin<\/b>\u2019s\u00a0Bella Ballerina<\/b>\u00a0arrived at Churchill Downs around 1:30 p.m. Sunday. The filly is scheduled to record her final Kentucky Oaks breeze this weekend.<\/p>\n
COUNTING STARS\/SEARCH PARTY<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 Trainer\u00a0Mark<\/b>\u00a0Casse<\/b>\u2019s two Kentucky Oaks hopefuls,\u00a0Counting Stars<\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0Search Party<\/b>\u00a0jogged two miles in the mile chute shortly after the main track opened for training at 5:15.<\/p>\n
Froylan Garcia<\/b>\u00a0was aboard\u00a0West Point Thoroughbreds<\/b>\u2019 Counting Stars, winner of the Fantasy (GII) in her most recent start, and\u00a0Elver Vargas<\/b>\u00a0was on\u00a0Tracy<\/b>\u00a0Farmer<\/b>\u2019s\u00a0Search Party<\/b>, runner-up in the Fantasy.<\/p>\n
LORELEI LEE<\/b>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Skychai Racing<\/b>\u2019s\u00a0Lorelei Lee<\/b>, winner of the Bourbonette Oaks (Listed) in her most recent start, worked a half-mile in company in :48.20 for trainer\u00a0Mike Maker<\/b>. She opened the work in company with\u00a0Salty Senorita<\/b>\u00a0with a :24 first quarter and galloped out five-eighths in 1:01.40, according to Churchill Downs clocker\u00a0Adam Wallace<\/b>.<\/p>\n
MEANING\/BROOKLYN BLONDE<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 Santa Anita Oaks (GII) winner\u00a0Meaning<\/b>\u00a0is scheduled to arrive from trainer\u00a0Michael McCarthy<\/b>\u2019s Southern California base Tuesday afternoon according to\u00a0Justin Curran<\/b>, McCarthy\u2019s Churchill assistant.<\/p>\n
Also on the plane is scheduled to be\u00a0Brooklyn<\/b>\u00a0Blonde<\/b>, the runner-up in the Santa Anita Oaks. Brooklyn Blonde is 16th\u00a0on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard and would need two defections from fillies under consideration for the race to make the field. Curran said Brooklyn Blonde would be pointed to the $700,000 Eight Belles Presented by Sysco (GII) on May 1 if she does not get in the Oaks.<\/p>\n
KENTUCKY DERBY MORNING WORKS SHOW CONTINUES THROUGH THURSDAY, APRIL 30<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 The Kentucky Derby Morning Works Show presented by TwinSpires.com continues through Thursday, April 30, offering fans an exclusive look at the final preparations of Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks contenders.<\/p>\n
Airing daily from 6:45-7:45 a.m. (all times Eastern), the one-hour program will be streamed live on the Kentucky Derby\u00a0Facebook Page<\/a>,\u00a0YouTube<\/a>\u00a0and X accounts. The show will highlight the 15-minute exclusive training window from 7:15-7:30 a.m. for horses preparing for the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I) and the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI).<\/p>\n Hosted by Churchill Downs\u2019 expert handicappers\u00a0Joe Kristufek<\/b>,\u00a0Kaitlin Benson<\/b>,\u00a0Tony Calo\u00a0<\/b>and\u00a0Kevin Kilroy<\/b>, the show will include insight, commentary and exclusive interviews from notable figures such as the voice of the Kentucky Derby\u00a0Travis Stone<\/b>, former leading rider\u00a0Rosie<\/b>\u00a0Napravnik<\/b>, TwinSpires.com handicapper\u00a0James Scully<\/b>, Churchill Downs morning line oddsmaker\u00a0Nick Tammaro<\/b>\u00a0and racing analyst\u00a0Ren Carrothers<\/b>.<\/p>\n All Kentucky Derby and Oaks contenders are required to be on-site by Saturday, April 25. The show will continue through Thursday, May 1, showcasing every contender\u2019s final training sessions leading into Kentucky Derby and Longines Kentucky Oaks.<\/p>\n