CHURCHILL DOWNS Weather: Sunny Temp: 71 Track: Fast LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Wednesday morning was the calm before the storm, literally, at Churchill Downs, with intermittent rain expected to move into the local area later in the afternoon and linger through the night before getting even heavier on Thursday. The forecast raises the possibility that this morning could well have been the last time the 20 Kentucky Derby hopefuls will have an opportunity to train over a fast track before the main event. Hot Rod Charlie was the horse perhaps under the greatest scrutiny when he came out for the special Derby-Oaks session at 7:30 a.m. after doing little more than jog his first two days on the grounds. But any worries about how the Louisiana Derby winner might be doing exiting his impressive work last weekend at Santa Anita were quickly erased by a high-spirited gallop that concluded with a seemingly impromptu mini-blowout down the backstretch. Hot Rod Charlie tossed in a final 27-and-change quarter before being pulled up with the aid of stable pony Lava Man approaching the far turn. Another Derby contender of interest today was Blue Grass runner-up Highly Motivated, who has not appeared to be traveling as smoothly or with the same energy level the last two mornings as he had much of last week in advance of his final Derby drill. Like Hot Rod Charlie, fellow California invader Rock Your World had a good morning, turning in a spirited gallop that got even more so after catching sight of Hidden Stash cruising up to his inside on the clubhouse turn. One more horse training during this morning’s session worth mentioning is Super Stock. Until today, he had been galloping on a daily basis in draw reins. The Arkansas Derby winner looked cool, calm, and collected coming by the grandstand without his regular equipment today. You cannot talk about Derby training without mentioning favorite Essential Quality and his Brad Cox-trained stable partner Mandaloun, who again were among the first horses on the track at 5:15 a.m. Both traveled along at a relaxed and even pace throughout their now familiar 1 1/2-mile training routine. Keepmeinmind also came out under the lights and again was under a very firm hold throughout, forcing him to cock his head and display some awkward, climbing action for a second straight morning. Like Hidden Stash, Like the King made his first local appearance after shipping in from Keeneland on Tuesday, and was the last of the Derby horses to train over a fresh track at 9 a.m. Brooklyn Strong, another recent arrival, had a walk day 48 hours removed from his final Derby breeze early Monday at Parx Racing. There was nothing out of the ordinary for the Oaks fillies. Longshot Competitive Speed stretched her legs a bit, blowing out a quarter-mile down the lane in 26 and change. :: Get DRF Clocker Reports for the Kentucky Derby and Oaks cards to access exclusive insights from morning training Here are some brief thoughts on some major Oaks contenders from impressions made during training hours here the past 10 days. Clairiere: Liked her final major breeze here on April 18 a lot. She is obviously maintaining her sharp form. Crazy Beautiful: Seems to have come out of her Gulfstream Oaks victory as good as she went in. Another training very forwardly. She could outrun her odds. Travel Column: Turned in arguably the best Oaks drill seen over the past 1 1/2 weeks, five furlongs in 1:00.44 going super easy before striding out with great energy on the gallop-out with Florent Geroux aboard. Malathaat: Undefeated filly hasn’t given any reason to believe she won’t fire her best again on Oaks Day. She had plenty of run on the gallop-out in her final breeze. Search Result: The other unbeaten member of the field hasn’t done anything flashy locally, with her final prep having more of a maintenance feel to it while in company with no less a stablemate than multiple Grade 1 winner Dunbar Road. Millefeuille: Has trained as well as anybody up to the race, turning in a very sharp bullet drill last Saturday and exiting that move with a series of high-energy gallops the last several mornings. She had her chances compromised somewhat by drawing the outside post. :: Access DRF Past Performances for the Kentucky Oaks and Derby race cards at Churchill Downs