LOUISVILLE, Ky. – One colt coming from halfway around the world, and one colt whose connections might be from another planet, worked Saturday morning at Churchill Downs in preparation for next Saturday's 127th Kentucky Derby, whose field continued to grow, with as many as two new horses entering the picture.

Express Tour, who won the United Arab Emirates Derby in Dubai, continued the positive impression he has made all week with a strong workout that Churchill Downs's clockers timed in 1:01 breezing. Express Tour, however, clearly broke off for his work at the seven-furlong pole, and Daily Racing Form had him in 1:28.80, with the final five furlongs in 1:00.80.

Two hours later, the hapless maiden Tincin worked four furlongs in 48.80. He finished slower than he started, and galloped out poorly – it took him 15.40 seconds, according to DRF, to travel out another furlong – but both his trainer and co-owner said they were thrilled with the work and maintained that Tincin had finished well. Whatever.

There are hints Churchill Downs is at least pondering the idea of refusing Tincin's entry. "We have precedent. We did it with Gib Downing's horse, Cameroon, at the Breeders' Cup" in 1988, said Tom Meeker, president and chief executive officer of Churchill Downs Inc.

The Derby field grew Saturday when trainer Tony Richey said that Arctic Boy, who finished 11th in the Arkansas Derby in his last start, would run, with jockey Calvin Borel riding.

The field grew again Sunday when it was confirmed that Startac, who was a disappointing fourth in the California Derby in his last start, would run the Derby. Trainer Simon Bray said Alex Solis would ride Startac, the 3-year-old son of Theatrical owned by the Allen Paulson Living Trust. Startac will be the first Derby entrant for Bray, a former assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Most trainers will spin a work and say it was just what they wanted, even if it wasn't, but Express Tour's work truly was ideal. Tom Albertrani, who is overseeing the training of Express Tour for Godolphin Racing Inc., said before the work that he wanted Express Tour to go off slowly and finish well.

Mission accomplished. Exercise rider Brian Procter let Express Tour go off easily, and he finished powerfully, his long legs gobbling up ground.

"That was picture perfect," Albertrani said.

Although he has a plebian pedigree - being by Tour D'or out of a Private Express mare - Express Tour is a striking horse. He is a tall, chestnut-colored colt, standing 17.2 hands, and has a white star squarely in the center of his forehead.

"He looks a lot better than he did in Dubai," Albertrani said as Express Tour walked the shed row after the drill. "He's carrying more muscle. He's nice and slick. He looks like a brand-new penny."

Tincin looked far different. He's a plain bay colt whose coat is mottled, and he has a weak hind end.

Tincin was ridden in his drill by veteran jockey Larry LaGue, who is expected to have the mount in the Derby. Both trainer Steve LaRue, and Bill Clements, whose wife Cynthia is listed as a co-owner of the colt, faced a barrage of media inquiries after the work. They believe that Tincin, who has been beaten nearly 130 lengths in his seven losses, deserves to run.

"He galloped out strongly today," LaRue said, apparently confusing Tincin's work with another.

LaRue has not won a race this year. He has seven horses at Ellis Park. Clement said he believes Tincin "is one of the top five horses" in the race. "We have no intention to embarrass ourselves," he added with a straight face.

In other Derby developments:

* Arctic Boy is scheduled to work Monday, according to Richey. He said an off track in the Arkansas Derby did not give Arctic Boy a chance to show his best. The colt finished second in the Rebel Stakes in his previous start.

* Arctic Boy and Startac bring the prospective Derby field to 18, which factors in the defection of Gift of the Eagle, who finished sixth in Saturday's Derby Trial.

* A P Valentine schooled in the starting gate prior to his routine gallop.

* Among those making a strong impression during their gallops Saturday were Balto Star, Dollar Bill, Invisible Ink, and Thunder Blitz, who might be training with more eagerness than any horse in the race.

* Talk Is Money, second in the Federico Tesio Stakes in his last start, arrived after a flight from Maryland.

* Trainer Bob Baffert's runners, Wood Memorial winner Congaree and Santa Anita Derby winner Point Given, both were scheduled to work Monday.

* Millennium Wind, the Blue Grass Stakes winner; Louisiana Derby winner Fifty Stars, and Arkansas Derby runner-up Jamaican Rum are scheduled to work Tuesday.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.