GOOD MAGIC and HOFBURG, two horses that have caught most observers eyes in the morning since both arrived in Louisville, continued to do so Thursday morning, though it appeared their riders made sure to not let them do as much as they had been doing as we are just two days out from the Kentucky Derby.

Good Magic typically jumps right into his gallops and speeds off at a robust clip early before being taken in hande by exercise rider Walter Melasquez. Thursday, it appeared to me, that Melasquez took a hold of Good Magic earlier than he had been doing during the colt's 1 3-8-miles gallop.

"In the days leading up to the Derby there has been more and more of a crowd to watch the horses train in the morning," Chad Brown, trainer of Good Magic, said. "It can put the horses in the bridle. But the horse is so manageable and has got such a good mind ... the first quarter or three-eighths of a mile he jumps into the bridle which I like to see. Water does a terrific job getting him to settle. I've been thrilled with every gallop."

Hofbug, who visits the paddock before he trains, also was taken a firm hold of by exercise rider Penny Gardiner. His trainer, Bill Mott, said he wanted to do a little bit less on Thursday because on Wednesday Hofburg did more than anticipated when a rider of another horse came up to him and seemed to mess with him a little bit.

"He had a little quieter day, but still had a nice gallop," Mott said. "He probably galloped a litlte faster than it looked like."

On Friday, when both horses gallop, it should be relatively quiet on the backside as training hours for Derby  horses will be 5:45-6 a.m.