A new edition of the Kentucky Derby, considered by some as the summit of horseracing, will take place next Saturday. As it happens every year, thousands of visitors are expected to attend the event, which this year has a very interesting and competitive field.

Many of the contestants have been working out for the Derby during the whole week, but few did so at Churchill Downs. Trainer Todd Pletcher took four of his five Derby horses to practice, one of them on the dirt track and the three on the artificial surface at Keenland. Cowtown Cat, the fifth one, went for a jog at Keenland.

Pletcher stayed in Lexington until Tuesday, when he took Cowtown Cat, Circular Quay, Scat Daddy and Any Given Sunday to Churchill Downs. At Keeneland, Any Given Saturday covered 5 furlongs in 1:01.20; Circular Quay was timed in 1:00.20; and Florida Derby winner Scat Daddy covered the distance in 59.40 seconds.

Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero Junior, who retired in 1992, was aboard Any Given Saturday, Circular Quay and Scat Daddy. He is Pletcher’s main exercise rider.