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 save and sound
It's a horseman's worst nightmare when the groom comes into the office and says, "boss, we have trouble." The Kentucky Derby feels that shock this morning as Wood Memorial winner Buddha comes up with an injured foot. Saarland's spring rival will miss tomorrow's Run For The Roses. It's a devastating blow to trainer H. James Bond.

Around Barn 43, trainer Shug McGaughey survives another safe and sound morning with Saarland. In the back of all the trainers' minds, visions of a Derby dream-crushing injury is always present.

"It's not fun, I can tell you firsthand," McGaughey says. "I had Coronado's Quest favored in the Preakness (in 1998) and he came up lame in his hind leg the morning of the race in his stall. Thankfully, our horse is healthy. So far, so good."

Saarland completes a 1-1/2 mile gallop this morning over a soggy Churchill Downs racetrack. His early 6 a.m. arrival on the track helps him get a better path. As he and exercise rider Juice Krajewski exit the track, the surface becomes deeper, slower and more chopped. His next-to-last gallop is labeled "very good".

"More and more, everyday he gets better here," Krajewski says. "It's exactly how Shug has said all year. It's not about the Gotham. It's not about the Wood. It's how he develops to the first Saturday in May. We feel like he's blossoming."

McGaughey says that Saarland will get an easy gallop on tomorrow morning, when he'll wake up on Kentucky Derby day and prepare for the biggest race of his life.