Kentucky Derby notes: Silent Tactic leads workers at Churchill

Silent Tactic, with jockey Cristian Torres aboard, worked a half-mile in 48.0 seconds on a picture-perfect Thursday morning at Churchill Downs for trainer Mark Casse ahead of next Saturday's Kentucky Derby 2026.

Working on his own at 7:15 a.m. EDT, Silent Tactic clicked off fractions of 12.0, 24.0 and 48.0 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01 and six furlongs in 1:14.8, according to Churchill Downs clocker Adam Wallace.

Trainer Michael McCarthy said Stark Contrast is out of the Derby picture and will be entered in the Grade 1 American Turf. With that defection, Intrepido moves into the top 20 on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

Also working at Churchill Downs was the Bob Baffert-trained Litmus Test, who breezed five furlongs in 59.0 out of the gate under Martin Garcia.

With Stark Contrast opting for the American Turf, Litmus Test stands at No. 21 on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard and needs one defection from horses under consideration for the Derby to make the main body of the field when entries are taken Saturday.

Working at Palm Beach Downs in Florida, Arkansas Derby (GI) winner Renegade worked a half-mile in 50.94 over a fast track for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Renegade will van to Louisville from South Florida on Friday with an early Saturday morning arrival at Churchill Downs. Pletcher will arrive in Louisville Saturday afternoon.

Two hours before the Silent Tactic work, Casse sent out his two Kentucky Oaks (G1) candidates, Counting Stars and Search Party.

Search Party, with Torres aboard, was first up going a half-mile in 47.60. Following a few minutes behind her was Counting Stars with Froylan Garcia up for a half-mile in 48.60.

At Palm Beach Downs, Pletcher worked his two Oaks hopefuls, Zany and She Be Smooth, together through a half-mile in 49.07.

At Keeneland, Percy’s Bar worked a half-mile in company in 49.60 with Luan Machado aboard for trainer Ben Colebrook.

Scheduled to work Friday at Churchill Downs for the Derby are Emerging Market, So Happy and Wonder Dean, with Golden Tempo expected to work at Keeneland.

On the Oaks front, Always a Runner, Bella Ballerina, Brooklyn Blonde, Meaning, Paradise and Prom Queen are scheduled to work at Churchill Downs and Dazzling Dame at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland.

Thursday activity

Albus, Incredibolt. Albus and Incredibolt galloped a mile and a quarter and then ventured to the mile chute to visit the starting gate before completing their morning activity by galloping another quarter-mile.

“That is pretty standard for us,” trainer Riley Mott said after the two returned to the barn with Antonio Garcia on Albus and Charlotte O’Connell on Incredibolt.

Mott said he would be watching the weather to determine a final work day for his runners.

“It doesn’t look like the forecast is as ominous as it was earlier,” Mott said. “Looks like the rain starts at 6 tomorrow night but doesn’t stick around, so we should be OK Saturday morning.

“They have worked together, before but they won’t this time. Antonio would be on Albus and Jaime Torres on Incredibolt.”

Chief Wallabee. Chief Wallabee visited the paddock and then galloped a mile and a half under Marvin Orantes for trainer Bill Mott.

Chip Honcho. Chip Honcho galloped Thursday morning at 7:15 a.m. with exercise rider Roberto Howell aboard for trainer Steve Asmussen. The colt is scheduled to work Saturday.

Commandment, Fulleffort, Further Ado. Trainer Brad Cox’s Derby trio of Commandment, Fulleffort and Further Ado trained Thursday morning at Churchill Downs before schooling in the paddock.

Commandment and Fulleffort were out in the first training set at 5:15 a.m. Commandment jogged with assistant trainer and exercise rider Katie Tolbert aboard, and Fulleffort galloped about 1 1/2 miles under Edvin Vargas. Further Ado trained in the second set with exercise rider Jonathan Santiago aboard, jogging about a half-mile before galloping about 1 1/2 miles.

All three horses would work Saturday or Sunday, depending on the weather, according to Cox.

Danon Bourton. Japan road to the Kentucky Derby invitee Danon Bourbon remained in USDA quarantine in Chicago and was scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs Friday morning. The colt is expected to train Saturday morning and will be based in Barn 17.

Emerging Market. Emerging Market galloped a mile and a half under Luis Ortiz Trinidad for trainer Chad Brown.

Brown said Emerging Market would work at 7:15 Friday with jockey Flavien Prat aboard.

Intrepido. Intrepido jogged two miles under Alejandro Galindo for trainer Jeff Mullins.

Galindo said Intrepido is scheduled to work Sunday morning with jockey Hector Berrios coming in for the breeze.

Litmus Test. Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) winner Litmus Test worked five furlongs out of the gate in company with Favoritism in 59.0 under Martin Garcia at Churchill Downs Thursday morning.

Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols caught Litmus Test in fractions of 23.80, 35.40, 47.20, 59.0 and then out six furlongs in 1:11.20 and seven-eighths in 1:24.

“He was going to work Sunday (at Oaklawn), but the weather was bad and the track was sealed, so we gave him a couple days to gallop here and he was good to go,” said Dan Ward, who is overseeing trainer Bob Baffert’s string at Churchill.

With Stark Contrast opting for the American Turf, Litmus Test stands at No. 21 on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard and needs one defection from horses under consideration for the Derby to make the main body of the field when entries are taken Saturday.

Pavlovian. Pavlovian galloped a mile and a half at 7:15 under Tony Romero for trainer Doug O’Neill. Pavlovian is scheduled to work Sunday.

Potente. Potente was scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs Thursday afternoon after shipping from his Southern California base for trainer Bob Baffert.

Right to Party. Right to Party galloped Thursday morning for trainer Kenny McPeek and is scheduled to record his final Kentucky Derby work Saturday.

Silent Tactic. Silent Tactic worked a half-mile in 48.0 under jockey Cristian Torres for trainer Mark Casse.

Working on his own at 7:15, Silent Tactic clicked off fractions of :12, :24, :48 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01 and six furlongs in 1:14.80, according to Churchill Downs clocker Adam Wallace.

“He got over the track really well and when he came back, he wasn’t even blowing,” Casse said of Silent Tactic’s first Churchill Downs work.

The work was accomplished on a Chamber of Commerce morning with mild temperatures.

“The weather was perfect,” Casse said. “Now let the other guys worry about the weather.”

Six Speed. Six Speed was scheduled to clear quarantine Thursday evening and train Friday at 7:15 a.m.

So Happy. Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner So Happy galloped a mile and a half under Gustavo Alvarado during the 7:15-7:30 training window for Kentucky Derby and Oaks horses.

Trainer Mark Glatt was on hand for the morning activity for So Happy, who is scheduled to work Friday morning.

Stark Contrast. Stark Contrast will bypass Kentucky Derby 152 and be entered in the American Turf on Derby day, according to trainer Michael McCarthy.

The Puma. The Puma jogged a mile under Carlos Oliveras for trainer Gustavo Delgado.

It was the first day on track for The Puma, who arrived at Churchill Downs Tuesday and tack-walked in Barn 42 on Wednesday.

Wonder Dean. Yoshinari Yamamoto’s Wonder Dean galloped Thursday morning and remained scheduled to work six furlongs Friday.