O Besos is doing his part, and the pieces are falling into place for him to get a chance to run in the Kentucky Derby on May 1.

The Greg Foley-trained colt is poised to crack the official lineup of 20 horses for the Run for the Roses.

O Besos worked Tuesday for a second time since shipping to Churchill Downs from New Orleans, where he jumped into the Kentucky Derby picture with a third-place finish in the Louisiana Derby.

O Besos will be the sixth Kentucky Derby starter for West Point Thoroughbreds, and we have been a late arrival before: in 2014 Commanding Curve was on the outside looking in for a Derby berth until a week before the race. Ironically, it was the defection of another West Point runner, eventual Grade 1 winner Ring Weekend, that opened the door for Commanding Curve, who went on to finish second in the Derby at odds of 37-to-1.

In 2017, West Point reached the pinnacle as a part-owner of Kentucky Derby hero Always Dreaming.