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Opening day at Churchill Downs featured almost a better "card" of schoolers than actual races. However, the card itself wasn't bad. The 4th race featured Grade I winner Lady Tak. Her return this year was in Keeneland's listed Vinery Madison Stakes where she finished a dismal last behind the very talented Ema Bovary. Today she returned in an allowance for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward at six furlongs on the dirt. Going off as the favorite, Lady Tak dominated throughout to win by two lengths for trainer Steve Asmussen. She never really appeared to be threatened.

The feature race on Opening Day at Churchill Downs' Spring Meet was the Grade III $100,000 Derby Trial, a mile long race on the dirt that originally featured Derby contender Rock Hard Ten. Currently at approximately #23 on the possible starters for the Grade I Kentucky Derby, trainer Jason Orman was considering running Rock Hard Ten in the Derby Trial if it was clear the giant dark bay colt wouldn't have any chance at making the Kentucky Derby field. With Rock Hard Ten's scratch, Nick Zito's Sir Shackleton went off as the race favorite and won by 1 3/4 lengths over Bob Baffert's Courageous Act, with Bwana Charlie third.

Besides the races, today was a great day for spotting schoolers. A few days before a major race, or any race for that matter, usually the trainer will have the horse brought into the paddock to see how the horse reacts to the crowd and all the higher than normal activity surrounding the paddock before a big event like the Kentucky Derby. Thanks to the Turf Angels' staff skill at identifying this year's Kentucky Derby and Oaks contenders, we spotted Madcap Escapade and Victory U.S.A. - two fillies pointed to the Kentucky Oaks, and later, Quinton's Gold Rush, winner of the Lexington Stakes, who is Asmussen's Derby starter. Madcap Escapade, winner of the Grade I Ashland Stakes seemed calm, and focused, but the crowds were exciting her as she was bouncing around during her walk. Bob Baffert's Victory U.S.A. was extremely nervous and not quite sure what to do with all the excitement, breaking out into a full sweat before she was done - and the day was cloudy and in the 60s. Quinton's Gold Rush, whom has seemed extremely nervous before, was extremely well behaved.

Today the Turf Angels.com reporters were greeted by a wonderful sight: sunshine over the Twin Spires for the first time in several days. With the temperature in the low 60's, sunshine on the track, and the Kentucky Derby exactly one week away, the contenders were on the track in numbers. Most of the talk of the day was centered around the workout of Arkansas Derby hero Smarty Jones and whether or not Jason Orman was going to run his giant black colt Rock Hard Ten in the Derby Trial Stakes. With the Derby so soon and the Oaks even sooner, the crush of media seems to have increased by half, and it will only get worse. Most of the major reporters spent the morning outside Smarty Jones' stall, waiting for the colt to emerge for his workout.

Today was also the Great Balloon Race, and the giant hot air balloons could be seen gracing the sky all over Churchill Downs.

The first horse that we spotted was Read the Footnotes, exiting the track after his first day at Churchill. The bay son of Smoke Glacken was a handful during his bath, leaping about and pinning his ears, trying to take a bite out of his handler. Trainer Rick Violette entertained a handful of reporters during the colt's bath and was kind enough to speak with us as well. Read the Footnotes, the Fountain of Youth Stakes winner, is unraced since the Florida Derby. He arrived Friday afternoon.

Read the Footnotes 4/24	Read the Footnotes 4/24
Read the Footnotes 4/24

We stopped by Imperialism's barn to check on him, but the little gray colt, who Kristin Mulhall described as "small but tough," had already gone out for the morning.

Imperialism and trainer Kristin Mulhall 4/24

Imperialism Posses 4/24

Next up was a quick visit with Limehouse, who was busy grazing, and then a check on the Mandella horses. Action This Day had already been to the track, but Halfbridled had just returned. There was a scary moment when the giant filly reared up, hitting her head on the barn ceiling. Luckily trainer Mandella, who took her shank, got her to settle and she appeared fine. She was grazed after her exercise while stablemate and Minister Eric, a Derby contender, walked the shedrow under tack.

Action This Day 4/24	Action This Day 4/24
Halfbridled 4/24	Halfbridled 4/24
Limehouse Grazes 4/24	Sunshine Over the Spires 4/24

After the break, a procession, led by Smarty Jones, headed out to the track. Lining up behind him were Bobby Frankel's Master David, Borrego, and the towering Rock Hard Ten, who shifted about anxiously and continuously threw up his head and eyed the cameras. The big colt did indeed gallop, and afterwards trainer Orman said there was a "90% chance" that he would scratch and either run in the Derby or train up to the Preakness.

Coming from the other direction were Oaks contenders Last Song and A.P. Adventure, who worked 5 furlongs in 1:00.80. Trainer Wally Dollase met her at the gap and led her off himself. Also on the track after the break was Birdstone, who put rest to rumors that he still wasn't right by blazing five furlongs in :58.40. He was met at the track by a hotwalker, draped in a blanket, and led off the track like royalty. None of this compared to Smarty Jones' brilliance this morning, however. The lively chestnut colt not only worked well, he worked phenomenally, stopping the clock in :58 flat.

A.P. Adventure After Her Work 4/24	Birdstone After His Work 4/24
Borrego Before His Gallop 4/24	Borrego's Towel 4/24
Master David 4/24	Rock Hard Ten 4/24
Master David Gets a Bath 4/24	Borrego In his Stall 4/24
Smarty Jones 4/24

The last Derby contender to be on the track this morning was Friends Lake, a chestnut colt who hasn't run since the Florida Derby (G1). He was followed, not by a parade of press, but by a parade of owners and friends who took pictures of him during his bath and sang their praises of the colt.

Friends Lake 4/24	Friends Lake 4/24
Friends Lake Saddle Towel 4/24	Sarava, the 2002 Belmont Stakes Winner, 4/24

With several works scheduled for tomorrow and the arrival of Lion Heart expected on Monday, the Derby picture is really heating up.

Daily Report From Churchill Downs: 4/24 by Turf Angels Staff

Daily Report From Churchill Downs: 4/24
by Turf Angels Staff