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.

The last warm-up
Trainer Shug McGaughey is not the kind of guy to come strolling into the barn area at 5:30 a.m. A restless nights sleep can make a guy motor early. Juice Krajewski surely isn't the kind of exercise rider who gets butterflies before heading to the track. He used to gallop nutcase of nutcases Coronados Quest for crying out loud.

But then again, this isn't your typical morning. Today marks Saarland's final major pre-Kentucky Derby warm-up. The humans bouncing around the McGaughey barn know what's at stake.

McGaughey sets up shop in the stables office and waits for the sunrise. Meanwhile, assistant trainer Robbie Medina and groom Gilberto Torres get Saarland ready for work. While a swarm of reporters gather around the barn, McGaughey waves Krajewski into the office for instructions. He tells his rider to work Saarland five furlongs, picking off the opening three-eighths in :37 or so and complete the drill in 1:02.

"I don't want anything too fast today," McGaughey tells ESPN.com. "If he goes out there in 1:02, I'll be perfectly happy."

Saarland walks to the track by Medinas lead as McGaughey drives from the stable area to the Churchill Downs grandstand for a better vantage point. As Saarland stands on the racetrack, Krajewski admits that this major workout has his stomach churning. "I feel like a longtail cat in a room full of rocking chairs," he jokes of his nerves. The pressure on Krajewski is to do just enough, but not too much in this morning's final tune-up.

After a light jog, Saarland approaches the five-furlong pole and Krajewski sets him down one path off of the rail. Saarland bounces into the workout, cruising around the turn under no urging. "When he broke off, I was like easy there, buddy. He wanted to go," Krajewksi says.

Saarland spins off the far turn in approximately the three path and Krajewski asks him for a little more, but keeps a long bridle. Nearing the wire, he sits down more on the colt and Saarland responds with long, stretching strides. The clock stops in exactly 1:02 for five furlongs. The colt extends his legs for more in the gallop out. Mission accomplished.

"This is the first time Ive seen him go over this track, but I'd say he handled it just fine," McGaughey comments afterward. "I asked Juice to go in 2 and the clockers got him in 2. I didn't think he needed to go fast today. He went fast in New York (last week). You've gotta have a little something left come Saturday. (Juice) had to reach and grab him to get him to pull up. I like to see that."

After his workout, Saarland gets a rub-down for Torres as onlookers make the colt a bit feisty. He relaxes after a moment and settles for his groom. Later, Medina takes the big horse behind the stables for a long graze. "I've got a quiet confidence until Saturday," Medina says with a smile. "Maybe I'll get nervous then."

As Saarland nibbles, Shug fields a flurry of media questions. "It would be a great thrill to win," he tells the reporters. "We've been training for the Derby not at all costs since the Remsen (last November.)"

Saarland likely will get a day off tomorrow as is stable custom. Trainer Shug McGaughey will check in on the colt in the morning before heading to Claiborne Farm in Lexington in the afternoon to observe the stars of tomorrow the stables weanlings and yearlings who are dreaming of someday being right where Saarland stands.