Take the Points set for Manhattan

Take the Points, fifth in the Dubai Duty Free at Meydan in the United Arab Emirates in March, is on schedule to make his return to the races in the Grade 1, $400,000 Manhattan Handicap on June 5.

Some horses that ship to Dubai sometimes don't return to their top form for a while, if at all. Todd Pletcher, the trainer of Take the Points, didn't have that problem in 2007 when Honey Ryder, 11th in the Sheema Classic, came back to win the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay and English Channel, 12th in the Dubai Duty Free, came back to get beat a head in the Grade 1 Manhattan by Better Talk Now.

Judging by a solid five-furlong work Sunday at Belmont, Take the Points looks like he's ready to return to the form that has made him a multiple Grade 1 winner. One of those victories came in the Jamaica over this course in October. He also won the Secretariat at Arlington.