ARCADIA, Calif. - The presence of both Pioneerof the Nile and The Pamplemousse in the Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 4 is causing trainer Todd Pletcher to re-route Take the Points to the Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 11.

Take the Points most recently finished a distant second to The Pamplemousse in the Sham Stakes.

Pletcher on Tuesday said Take the Points, who is currently training at Santa Anita, could jump back into the Santa Anita Derby picture "if there is a defection or two." Barring that, though, he's off to Keeneland.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Papa Clem got his first real feel for the Oaklawn Park surface on Tuesday morning, when he breezed five furlongs in 1:01.40 in preparation for the Grade 2, $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 11. The horse arrived here last week from Fair Grounds, where he was second to Friesan Fire in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby on March 14.

"It was just perfect," trainer Gary Stute said of the work from Papa Clem. "The main thing was just to get him used to the track, and next week we'll probably go seven-eighths."

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Theregoesjojo may have been a day late but he won't be a furlong short when he takes on Dunkirk and Quality Road in Saturday's Grade 1 Florida Derby.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Jeff Mullins is trying to stay calm, but his horse, I Want Revenge, is making it hard on him.

I Want Revenge continued preparations for his start as the favorite in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 4 with a sharp five-furlong drill in 58.20 seconds Sunday morning over Hollywood Park's Cushion Track. It was the second-fastest of 29 moves at the distance. Joe Talamo was aboard I Want Revenge for the work, which was done in company with an unraced 3-year-old named I Want My Money.

FLORENCE, Ky. - Hold Me Back probably will race next in the April 11 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, but his connections are holding out the option of the colt going straight to the May 2 Kentucky Derby.

Hold Me Back, making his first start in nearly four months for owner WinStar Farm and trainer Bill Mott, was sensational going last to first to capture the Grade 2, $500,000 Lane's End Stakes on Saturday at Turfway Park. By virtue of the $282,000 winner's share, the colt is virtually assured of making the Derby field, based on the graded-earnings criteria.

ARCADIA, Calif. - With the financial backing of owner Richard Templer, the keen eye of agent Denny Boltinghouse, and the patient training of John Sadler, a pipeline has been created from the antipodes to Santa Anita.

Belmont Cat became the latest stakes winner for that group Sunday, when she captured the Grade 2, $150,000 Santa Ana Handicap for female turf horses. As with Black Mamba and Crossing the Line, Belmont Cat, who was bred in New Zealand, has blossomed since arriving from the South Pacific.

The landscape of Northern California racing will change yet again if Golden Gate Fields, the circuit's lone remaining major racetrack, changes hands this summer. The process of the track's owner, Magna Entertainment Corp., possibly selling Golden Gate takes a step forward April 3, when a court hearing will define the bidding process for the track, according to Golden Gate's general manager, Robert Hartman.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Silver City will step off the Kentucky Derby trail and point for the Derby Trial next month at Churchill Downs following his recent fifth-place finish in the Grade 2, $300,000 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn.

"At this point in time we have decided to keep him around one turn for a while," said Bret Calhoun, who trains Silver City for Clarence Scharbauer Jr.

Key's Band, making his first start for new trainer J.R. Gonzalez Jr. since being claimed for $40,000 late last year, controlled the pace throughout and set a track record in Saturday's Mt. Cristo Rey Handicap at Sunland Park. Chaco Latte chased the winner in vain throughout and settled for second, followed by 6-5 favorite Z. Z. Dome and 121-pound highweight Gulchrunssweet.

Under clever handling from Miguel Perez, 12-1 outsider Let the Musicbegin collared early pacesetter Bullish Liz turning for home and went on to a half-length win in Sunday's $100,000 Sydney Valentini Handicap at Sunland Park. Bullish Liz gave ground grudgingly to the winner and was almost six lengths clear of another longshot, Treading Water. Odds-on favorite La Sorpresa finished fourth.

"There was a slow pace," Perez said in the winner's circle. "I tried to find a hole between horses. When I had a chance, she started to gun for it."