Churchill Downs Saturday, April 20 Weather: Clear Temperature: 48  Track: Fast LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Saturday morning was a busy one under the Twin Spires, not only for potential Kentucky Derby starters but the general population as well. Seven Derby hopefuls got in what, for most, will be their penultimate works for the big event now just two weeks away as part of a clocker’s tab that included over 210 names when the final drill went in the books shortly before 10 a.m. The sloppy track that helped create Saturday’s logjam gave way to a fast strip 24 hours later, with temperatures plunging into the high 40’s when the first horses walked onto the course under the lights promptly at 5:15 a.m. Among them, trainer Brad Cox’s Catching Freedom, who led off the Derby parade breezing five furlongs in 1:00.42 seconds, going easily, but while given all he could handle by recent maiden winner Castlewarden. The pair ran down and finished outside a Dallas Stewart worker approaching the wire. Catching Freedom was the first of three Derby hopefuls to get in their morning works before dawn, a group that also included Endlessly, whose five victories in six starts all came over either turf or a synthetic surface, and Arkansas Derby runner-up Just Steel. If the decision as to whether to enter Endlessly in the Derby rests solely on his performance on Saturday, it is likely trainer Michael McCarthy will opt to keep him on grass for the American Derby. Endlessly struggled during the latter stages of his five-furlong drill to keep pace with maiden winning mate Yellow Card, before losing contact on the gallop-out. The pair finished well off the rail and remained wide into the clubhouse turn.  The official clocking for the five furlongs was 1:00.80.    :: KENTUCKY DERBY 2024: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more Just Steel had the most demanding work of the morning, breaking off at the wire and working a full mile. Picking up company in stablemate Daily Grind at the five-furlong pole, both completed their final quarter in 26 seconds, while also out near the center of the track with another team of workers in front of them down the lane. The special training session reserved for Derby and Kentucky Oaks runners, after the first renovation break, was a hectic one as well. Four Derby workers and a trio of fillies pointing for the Oaks took part in the training session. Again the Cox barn led the way with Blue Grass runner-up Just a Touch cruising an easy but good looking half-mile in 48.42 before galloping out five furlongs in 1:02.02 and easing up three-quarters in 1:16.75, a prelude, one would expect, to a more serious drill here next weekend. Just a Touch was followed by the Danny Gargan-trained pair of Wood Memorial runner-up Society Man and Fountain of Youth winner Dornoch, who also breezed an easy half in 48.16 before galloping out a full three furlongs under some late urging in 1:14.86. Mystik Dan rounded out the local Derby work schedule, zipping a bullet five furlongs in 59.40, weakening a tad off a very lively opening three-eighths split, while slightly second best outside the Grade 2-placed 3-year-old Northern Flame. Trainer Chad Brown also worked his two Derby contenders, Sierra Leone and Domestic Product, at Keeneland and Payson Park on Saturday. The former breezing four furlongs in 48.80 per track clockers, the latter the same distance in 48.80 in South Florida. Both horses will have their final Derby preps next weekend at Churchill Downs. Oaks workers here Saturday included the Cox team of Tarifa and Gin Gin, who went five furlongs from the half in 1:00.85 and three-quarters in 1:14.31. Thorpedo Anna went five-eighths in 1:00.66, while best in company outside her stakes winning stablemate Band of Gold. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.