KENTUCKY DERBY NOTEBOOK: `GOOD' WORKOUT FOR CAME HOME.

Byline: Kevin Modesti Staff Writer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Santa Anita Derby winner Came Home continued to please his handlers Monday as he turned in his final full-tilt workout before the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.

Came Home, one of 10 Kentucky Derby hopefuls to work out on the fast Churchill Downs track, was clocked in 1:00 3/5 for 5 furlongs while ridden by jockey Chris McCarron.

``He felt good going across the ground,'' said McCarron, who flew in from Los Angeles for the workout. ``He's showing us good signs.'' McCarron described Came Home as ``a determined colt.''

It's Came Home's ability to win a 1 1/4-mile race that remains in doubt following his slow stretch run at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita.

Heavy rain here Saturday night prompted several trainers to postpone workouts until the track dried out Monday.

Of the 10 Derby candidates who have Southern California races in their backgrounds, six worked out Monday. Medaglia d'Oro (1:13 4/5) went 6 furlongs; Proud Citizen (58 4/5), Lusty Latin (1:01) and Easy Grades (1:01 2/5) went 5 furlongs, and Windward Passage (48 3/5) went 4 furlongs.

--Filly dead: Tempera, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2001, had to be euthanized Sunday night at a veterinary clinic in Lexington, two days after she developed a high temperature. She had been training at Churchill Downs for Friday's Kentucky Oaks, the ``fillies' Derby.''

Owner Godolphin Racing of Dubai said Tempera had developed colitis and laminitis.

``It is hard to believe,'' said Tom Albertrani, assistant to trainer Saeed bin Suroor, ``but her condition went so bad in 24 hours, they couldn't do anything to help her.''

Tempera, by A.P. Indy, won races under David Flores at Hollywood Park and Del Mar last summer on her way to the Breeders' Cup victory that clinched her championship. She finished second in two races in Dubai this year.

--Shortening strides: Johannesburg and Castle Gandolfo, the Ireland-trained colts, are scheduled to land in Lexington this afternoon. They'll be kept in quarantine for up to 48 hours at Keeneland racetrack because Churchill Downs has no year-round quarantine facilities. The colts are expected to travel to Louisville by van on the morning of the Derby. ... Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer planned to ship USS Tinosa from Northern California to Louisville today even though the colt is 21st on the earnings list and won't make the 20-horse field unless a horse drops out. ... USS Tinosa would slip lower on the waiting list if Mayakovsky dropped back into the Derby picture. Mayakovsky has not been ruled out by his trainer and owner.