IMAGES | Scenes from Kentucky Derby training at Churchill Downs
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Eric Crawford
Sports Reporter
- Updated
Scenes from training and the Churchill Downs stable area for Kentucky Derby 147. Check back often for new photos daily.
A sign on the Churchill Downs backside outlines the rules of the road in the barn area.
Scene from pre-dawn activity on the backside of Churchill Downs on April 2, 2021.
Tack hangs outisde a barn on the Churchill Downs backside on the morning of April 23, 2021.
Scenes from pre-dawn activity on the backside of Churchill Downs on April 2, 2021.
Scenes from pre-dawn activity on the backside of Churchill Downs on April 2, 2021.
Horses come off the lighted Churchill Downs track on the morning of April 23, 2021.
Horses come off the lighted Churchill Downs track on the morning of April 23, 2021.
Sunrise hits center stage on April 23, 2021.
A rider comes off the Churchill Downs track at Sunrise on April 26, 2021.
Horses come off the lighted Churchill Downs track on the morning of April 23, 2021.
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas on his pony during morning training on April 23, 2021.
Todd Pletcher's Dynamic One and Chad Brown's Highly Motivated run side by side at Churchill Downs on April 20, 2021.
Todd Pletcher's Dynamic One trains at Churchill Downs on April 19, 2021.
Todd Pletcher's Dynamic One on the track at Churchill Downs on April 23, 2021.
Expected Kentucky Derby favorite Essential Quality hits the Churchill Downs track before sunup on April 23, 2021.
Expected Kentucky Derby favorite Essential Quality on the track for his finale pre-race work at Churchill Downs on April 24, 2021.
Expected Kentucky Derby favorite Essential Quality hits the Churchill Downs track before sunup on April 23, 2021.
Unbeaten 2-year-old champion and expected Kentucky Derby favorite Essential Quality heads out onto the Churchill Downs track to train on April 17, 2021.
Expected Kentucky Derby favorite Essential Quality after an early-morning bath outside Brad Cox's barn on April 24, 2021.
An exercise rider through the blue mesh at Brad Cox's barn on the Churchill Downs backside.
A spray of flowers decorating the WDRB In The Morning Set on the Churchill Downs backside.
Chad Brown's Highly Motivated hits the Churchill Downs track on the morning of April 23, 2021.
Kentucky Derby contender Highly Motivated shares a friendly moment after a bath at Churchill Downs on April 20, 2021.
Kentucky Derby contender Highly Motivated gallops on the Churchill Downs track on April 25, 2021.
A group of horses comes onto the Churchill Downs track on April 23, 2021.
Louisiana Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie hits the Churchill Downs track for the first tie on April 26, 2021.
Keepmeinmind on the Churchill Downs track on the morning of April 23, 2021.
Kentucky Derby hopeful King Fury on the track at Churchill Downs on April 23, 2021.
Todd Pletcher's Known Agenda trains at Churchill Downs on April 20, 2021.
Todd Pletcher's Known Agenda gallops on the Churchill Downs track on April 21, 2021.
Brad Cox's Mandaloun trains at Churchill Downs on April 20, 2021.
Brad Cox's Mandaloun trains at Churchill Downs on April 20, 2021.
Brad Cox's Mandaloun trains at Churchill Downs on April 20, 2021.
Brad Cox's Mandaloun trains at Churchill Downs on April 20, 2021.
Brad Cox's Mandaloun hits the Churchill Downs track before sunrise on April 23, 2021.
Media members socially distance along the rail on the Churchill Downs backside on April 23, 2021.
Medina Spirit, who finished second in the Santa Anita Derby, enjoys a bath after his first trip around the Churchill Downs oval on April 26, 2021.
Bob Baffert's Medina Spirit hits the Churchill Downs track for the first time in preparation for the May 1 Kentucky Derby.
Midnight Bourbon on the Churchill Downs track on April 21, 2021.
Steve Asmussen-trained Midnight Bourbon walks the shed row on April 23, 2021.
Midnight Bourbon on the Churchill Downs track on April 21, 2021.
Mr. Man, the barn goat in Brad Cox's stables, makes the rounds of the shed row every day.
Greg Foley's O Besos trains on the Churchill Downs track on April 17, 2021.
Todd Pletcher's Kentucky Derby horses get bathed after training at Churchill Downs on April 16, 2021.
The saddle cloths at Todd Pletcher's barn tell the tale: He's again loaded with Kentucky Derby (and a Kentucky Oaks) contenders.
A worker at Todd Pletcher's barn puts away a saddle with his "TAP" logo.
Todd Pletcher's Sainthood gallops on the Churchill Downs track on April 21, 2021.
Churchill Downs is blanketed in snow in this long-exposure image on April 21, 2021.
Churchill Downs is blanketed in snow on April 21, 2021.
Churchill Downs is blanketed in snow on April 21, 2021.
Churchill Downs is blanketed in snow on April 21, 2021.
Churchill Downs is blanketed in snow on April 21, 2021.
A snowman, complete with fascinator, takes in the scene on the Churchill Downs backside after 1.8 inches of snow blanketed the grounds on April 21, 2021.
Churchill Downs is blanketed in snow on April 21, 2021.
A colt grazes in the snow at Churchill Downs on April 21, 2021.
Kentucky Derby hopeful Soup and Sandwich gallops on the Churchill Downs track on April 26, 2021.
Soup and Sandwich outside Mark Casse's barn at Churchill Downs on April 23, 2021.
Everyone turned to watch the sunrise at Churchill Downs on April 23, 2021.
The sunrise took center stage at Churchill Downs on April 23, 2021.
The sunrise took center stage at Churchill Downs on April 23, 2021.
Sunrise at Churchill Downs on April 23, 2021.
Steve Asmussen's Kentucky Derby contender Super Stock trains at Churchill Downs on April 17, 2021.
Steve Asmussen's Kentucky Derby contender Super Stock trains at Churchill Downs on April 17, 2021.
Trainer Todd Pletcher through the iPhone of longtime turf writer Jennie Rees, who reports from the backside for the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.
Water on the legs of a horse during a bath on Churchill Downs backside, April 20, 2021.
Trainer Steve Asmussen, right, holds the lead of Midnight Bourbon during a trot around the Churchill Downs track on April 26, 2021.
Trainer Steve Asmussen leads Super Stock to the track on April 20, 2021.
The sunrise shines through the leaves of a tree on the backside of Churchill Downs on April 26, 2021.
Two Hall of Famers and Kentucky Derby winners -- trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Gary Stevens -- chat on the backside at Churchill Downs on April 26, 2021.
The media contingent outside Bob Baffert's barn on April 21, 2021.
A cat outside Ian Wilkes' barn lays on a car on April 20, 2021.
A bird gathers straw for a nest, on top of Bob Baffert's Barn No. 31 at Churchill Downs on April 26, 2021
Bob Baffert in his barn at Churchill Downs on April 26, 2021.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert outside his barn at Churchill Downs on April 26, 2021.
Todd Pletcher's Bourbonic gallops on the Churchill Downs track on April 21, 2021.
Todd Pletcher's Bourbonic gallops on the Churchill Downs track on April 21, 2021.
A cat poses for Courier-Journal photographer Pat McDonough on the backside of Churchill Downs on April 20, 2021.
Trainer Chad Brown speaks with reporters at his Churchill Downs barn.
My vantage point from below the outer rail before Kentucky Derby training on April 29, 2021.
Brooklyn Strong atter working up a sweat during training at Churchill Downs on April 29, 2021.
Churchill Downs' "Big Board" reflects off the suite windows on the morning of April 29, 2021.
Hot Rod Charlie heads to the Churchill Downs track on April 29, 2021.
Hot Rod Charlie heads to the Churchill Downs track on April 29, 2021.
Hot Rod Charlie heads to the Churchill Downs track on April 29, 2021.
Hot Rod Charlie heads to the Churchill Downs track on April 29, 2021.
Hot Rod Charlie heads to the Churchill Downs track on April 29, 2021.
John Lewis, Sterling Riggs and Candyce Clifft on WDRB News in the Morning.
King Fury trains at Churchill Downs on April 24, 2021.
Trainer Mark Casse speaks with reporters on April 29, 2021.
Midnight Bourbon on the Churchill Downs track on April 29, 2021.
Midnight Bourbon on the Churchill Downs track on April 29, 2021.
What the horses had to run on during Kentucky Derby training on April 29, 2021.
Rock Your World (front) and Soup and Sandwich head to the Churchill Downs track on April 29, 2021.
Rock Your World gallops on the Churchill Downs track in advance of the May 1 Kentucky Derby.
Rock Your World gallops on the Churchill Downs track in advance of the May 1 Kentucky Derby.
Rock Your World gallops on the Churchill Downs track in advance of the May 1 Kentucky Derby.
Eric Crawford
Sports Reporter
