Editor's Note: Since January 1, ESPN.com has been tracking the progress of Triple Crown hopeful Saarland in a weekly diary of the horse's season-long progress. Over the course of Saarland's nine days in Louisville, his final Kentucky Derby tune-ups will be updated daily.

Saarland wrapped up his major conditioning in New York on Monday with his fastest career breeze, a half-mile in :47-1/5. As is custom, trainer Shug McGaughey gave the Remsen Stakes winner the following day off (Tuesday), with a light 45-minute walk by hand around the shedrow. Saarland returned to the track Wednesday with, fittingly enough, a 1-1/4 miles gallop - the exact distance of the Kentucky Derby. With his New York state of mind complete, bring on the Blue Grass.

Saarland arrives in Louisville
Saarland wakes for his 4 a.m. breakfast inside Belmont Park's barn 20. The scoop of oats disappears under darkness as the stable's first Kentucky Derby contender in 13 years awaits his flight to Louisville.

Hotwalker Christian San Martin takes Saarland on a 45-minute walk around the shedrow. With a 7:30 a.m. departure for the airport set, the colt will not get a chance to train on the track this morning. Prior to traveling, Team McGaughey provides its horses with a jug of electrolytes and vitamins to help fend off dehydration.

Saarland boards a van with stablemate Carafe en route to Farmingdale Airport, where they'll join six other horses on a chartered flight to Louisville. Also aboard is exercise rider Juice Krajewski and groom Gilberto Torres. The plane arrives just before 8:30 a.m., and after the horses load, they set flight on a non-stop trip to Kentucky. The on-board snack is a hayrack, the equine answer to peanuts.

Just after 11 a.m., the charter touches down at Louisville's Standiford Airport. Saarland and Carafe have a horse van waiting for them for the short 10-minute drive to Churchill Downs. There, they bed down in Barn 43 as assistant trainer Robbie Medina oversees the operation. Medina has been with McGaughey's stable horses at Keeneland, just up the road in Lexington, KY. The team will watch Saarland's progress the next few days until McGaughey arrives on Sunday. First things first, they must unpack the horses' gear and set up shop.

"Everything went smoothly," Krajewski says. "He handled it fine and did well with his first flight."

Saarland gets a few laps around his new Churchill Downs shedrow to loosen his legs. He then stands for a quick, cold-water hosing before he is taken behind the barn to graze on some of that world-famous Kentucky bluegrass.

It's a trip completed without a hitch -- just another hurdle for the horses to clear in their historic attempt at racing's biggest prize. Tonight, Saarland settles in for dinner and some rest and relaxation. Tomorrow, training begins for the 128th Kentucky Derby. Sunrise over the Twin Spires awaits.