Funny, because the thought that immediately filtrates the 32-year-old's mind when such a comment is made is, "I don't know how I'd handle the Derby with only one horse."

	Todd Pletcher's Graeme Hall won the Arkansas Derby last month The colt is one of four of Pletcher's Derby entries.

"It's easier this way," says the young trainer who spent six and a half years as an assistant under Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas. "We've got enough to keep us busy with four in the Derby [Trippi, More Than Ready, Graeme Hall and Impeachment] and two in the [Kentucky] Oaks ? I wish I had a few more. It keeps us busy."

Busy is an understatement in the horse racing world. A trainer's work is much like that of Regis Philbin's -- it never stops.

"Horses rely on you 365 days a year, 24 hours a day," says Pletcher, in between workout sessions on Thursday morning. "When you sign up for this job, you know that. You accept it."

That's why he doesn't understand what the fuss is about having so many entries.

"It's no big deal," says the University of Arizona grad. "If we weren't running here, we'd still be training every day for other races. This is what we do for a living."

One can easily pick up that he's a Lukas protégé. Despite his reputation for being abrasive and overly intense at times, Lukas has always been lauded for his tireless efforts and meticulous attention to detail. On his own for four years now, Pletcher is quickly gaining such stature in the workaholic hierarchy. He's quick to point out, however, that he's been shaped more by his father, who was a former trainer.

"I learned everything from how to walk a horse to how to ride and train a top thoroughbred," says Pletcher. "I learned the ups and downs of the sport. When I went to work for Wayne, it wasn't like I'd never been on a track."

Sarcasm aside, Pletcher hasn't been afraid to mention the gratitude he has for his mentor or to throw around praise throughout Derby week as though they were skipping stones.

	“	There's a coyote and a sheep dog, who both show up to work together and punch in the clock at 9 a.m. It reminds me of our relationship. ”
		— Todd Pletcher on D. Wayne Lukas

"He's always worked hard, and it's always easier to work hard for someone like that," says Pletcher. "He's an effective leader and someone who was always clear in what he wanted. He's quick to say when you messed up, and, occasionally, when you did good."

In describing their relationship, Pletcher didn't make it sound like a Roy Williams-Dean Smith or Tommy Amaker-Coach K. love affair between competing pupil and teacher. But they surely aren't Bobby Knight -- the man Lukas often gets compared to -- and Steve Alford. Instead, Pletcher mentioned a comic strip to describe what it's like competing with a man who shared secrets with him from 1989 through 1996.

"There's a coyote and a sheep dog, who both show up to work together and punch in the clock at 9 a.m.," joked Pletcher, before explaining how the two animals would do whatever they could to stop each other and their respective packs all day long before punching out as friends at 5.

"It reminds me of our relationship," says Pletcher, who lives in New Hyde Park, N.Y., with his wife, Tracy, and daughter, Payton. "If I can't win, I'll be more than happy for him to win it."

Wasssuuupppp
Yes, it won't go away. In fact, it's all one heard at the crack of dawn this morning as the culprits from the catchy Budweiser ad made the rounds with fans and media at The Downs. Fred Thomas and Paul Williams, two of the more recognizable men from the commercial, repeated their goldmine line approximately 311 times in a two-hour span.

Both are going out on a limb and picking Fusaichi Pegasus to win on Saturday, if anyone cares.

Chanting his name
Neil Drysdale, the trainer of star-of-the-moment Fusaichi Pegasus, speaks to the media in a way that makes it easy to see how he was an English teacher years ago. He carefully selects his words, gives off a slight condescending stare, and always seems to be scanning through herds of reporters to see who's listening and who isn't. (This week, the ones who aren't listening should be covering high school athletics.)

He'll talk about his star, but he seems enchanted with the other colt in his stable, War Chant. In fact, Drysdale believes that whether or not the punkish bay colt with the hard-to-pronounce name makes history on Saturday, War Chant will be the one to keep an eye on for the Preakness and the Belmont.

"He's improved and come on well," says Drysdale. "Blinkers have helped a lot. War Chant is still growing up and he could be the one to continue and improve the most in the next few months. He's going to keep growing and filling up."

It won't hurt him to have the experienced Jerry Bailey -- a two-time Derby winner with Sea Hero in '93 and Grindstone in '96 -- on the mount, especially after receiving the gate he desired during the Post Position draw on Wednesday night.

"Jerry Bailey said to me beforehand, 'If I get first choice, I'm gonna get 9 if that's OK with you,'" said Drysdale, who has never saddled a runner in either the Derby or Preakness. "Well, he got that with the second choice."

Speaking of first-timers
In addition to Drysdale, five other trainers will make their first starts at the Kentucky Derby: Vladimir Cerin (Ronton), Alex Hassinger Jr. (Anees), John Kimmel (Wheelaway), Pletcher and Jenine Sahadi (The Deputy).

Jerry Hollendorfer would have been included in this list had his entry, Globalize, not been forced to be scratched on Thursday morning due to a 2-3 inch cut on his leg.

First-timers have fared well at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May, winning 26 times. The last time a rookie won all the roses was in 1985, when Cam Gambotti saddled Spend A Buck.

Says Sahadi, the 10th female trainer to start a horse in the Kentucky Derby, on her first time: "I'm very superstitious, but outside of that, none of the first-time business gets to me. I really don't speculate on what will happen for my horse and me on Saturday. If it doesn't go as planned, it'll still be special because of all the joy and happiness it all has brought to my life."

First-time jockeys in the field are: Brice Blanc (Ronton), Frankie Dettori (China Visit), Mark Guidry (Deputy Warlock), Edgar Prado (Commendable), Marlon St. Julien (Curule), and Roger Velez (Hal's Hope). A total of 38 jockeys have won the Derby with their first mount, but the trick hasn't been pulled since Ronnie Franklin did it with Spectacular Bid in '79.

Go ahead, add it up
Want an intimidating figure? How about the record total of 35 Kentucky Derby starters that have come through D. Wayne Lukas' stable. That number is greater than the rest of the Derby 126 field combined.

They said It
Eighty-eight-year-old trainer Harold Rose on how racing has kept him young: "Many, in fact, most of the people I grew up with are now gone. But racing has kept me sharp mentally and fairly much so physically. It has kept me young. Some folks have asked me this week if I'd think of retiring. I tell them to check back with me when I reach 100."

Sahadi on her confidence in jockey Chris McCarron: "I won't be giving Chris any instructions Saturday. He knows this horse [The Deputy] and he knows the Derby [it will be his 17th Derby]. The main thing is to get the right trip. I've seen too many good horses not win the Kentucky Derby because they didn't get the right trip. But that's why you hire a guy like McCarron. And then you just have to have hope and luck."

Lukas on his chances with three horses: "We've got a legitimate chance. We are not exactly 30-1. We are going over with a pretty good little arsenal. I think we can do it. I'm optimistic. If you are a gloom-and-doom guy, you'd better get another profession. In this game, you had better stay upbeat and positive. If they kick our teeth in, we'll come back next year."