Latest Derby News: Saint Damien Out, Talk Is Money In

Trainer Ken McPeek withdrew Illinois Derby (gr. II) runner-up Saint Damien from consideration for the Kentucky Derby after the son of Saint Ballado bled severely during a workout Monday. McPeek still has Gift of the Eagle, who also worked Monday, under consideration for the May 5 classic.

Saint Damien had been scheduled to go seven-eighths of a mile, but instead worked only 6 furlongs in 1:15 4/5. Stablemate Gift of the Eagle was timed in :49 1/5 for his four furlong outing.

Dollar Bill, the Dallas Stewart trained son of Peaks and Valleys who won the Brown & Willamson Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. II) at Churchill Downs as a 2-year-old, was timed in :50 for his half-mile breeze.

A P Valentine, the 2000 Champagne Stakes winner trained by Nick Zito, worked 5 furlongs in :59 3/5. Zito, who has saddled two Derby winners, clocked the colt's final eighth of a mile in :11 4/5.

Also working over the Churchill Downs track Monday was Godolphin Racing's Express Tour, who was timed in 1:12 3/5 for his six-furlong drill. Winner of the UAE Derby, Express Tour remains Sheikh Mohammed's only Derby hope this year after Street Cry was withdrawn from consideration Sunday due to an injury to his right front ankle.

In another development Monday, Talk Is Money, who led throughout before finishing second in Saturday's Federico Tesio Stakes, has been added to the list of Derby contenders.