Robert LaPenta’s undefeated Eclipse champion War Pass continued to prep for his seasonal debut when he worked a bullet half-mile in :46.80 at Palm Meadows training center Feb. 2.

The Cherokee Run colt, a favored early contender for this year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I),  is expected to return to competition for trainer Nick Zito in a race at Gulfstream Park later this month. He will make his first start since romping home a 4 ¾-length winner of the $2 million Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I), run over a sloppy track at Monmouth Park Oct. 27.

Zito also had Four Roses Thoroughbreds’ 3-year-old Anak Nakal on the track at Palm Meadows Feb. 2. Another highly-regarded Derby prospect, the son of Victory Gallop breezed a half-mile in :50 flat. His last outing was a win in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. II) at Churchill Downs Nov. 24.

Another leading Derby candidate on the Palm Meadows work tab was Charles Fipke’s Tale of Ekati, who went an easy five furlongs in 1:03 for trainer Barclay Tagg. The homebred colt by Tale of the Cat   finished fourth last out behind War Pass in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile after capturing The Futurity (gr. I) at Belmont in his previous start.