With the Kentucky Derby less than eight weeks away, there's little margin for error remaining. Things kick into high gear this week, as trainers juggle the schedules of their top contenders looking for the best preps and riders are, well, jockeying for the best mounts. Several of those changes make for intriguing storylines this weekend.

Eclipse champion 2-year-old Lookin at Lucky was scheduled to board a plane this morning for Arkansas, where he'll make his sophomore debut in the Rebel Stakes on Saturday. The colt worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 Monday morning at Santa Anita as his final tuneup.

Trainer Bob Baffert selected the Oaklawn prep because he'd like to get Lookin at Lucky on a conventional dirt track sooner rather than later. The Rebel will be the colt's first start on dirt, first start outside of California and first start with blinkers. If weather forces the postponement of the Rebel - the Southwest at the track in February was postponed by five days - Baffert can ship the colt home to fall back on the San Felipe.

Although the Southwest is the traditional prep for the Rebel, Baffert won't have to worry about conflicting interests in the race, as he'll instead send Southwest winner Conveyance to the Sunland Derby on March 28. The unbeaten colt was under consideration for the UAE Derby, but Baffert said that idea has been eliminated.

With or without Lookin at Lucky, both the Rebel and San Felipe should draw solid fields as crunch time for the Derby draws near. Hopeful winner Dublin figures prominently in the Rebel after finishing a closing second in the Southwest. The son of Afleet Alex sizzled through a five furlong work on Sunday in :59.60, fastest of 56 at the distance. Hall of Famer Wayne Lukas is switching jockeys this time out, as he plans to name Oaklawn leading rider Corey Nakatani on the colt when entries are drawn this week, replacing Terry Thompson. Grade I placed Noble's Promise and Southwest third-place finisher Cardiff Giant are also expected in the field.

Baffert says his promising Tiz Chrome won't make the Rebel after missing a few days of training - but another lightly raced colt by Tiznow, ironically trained by Baffert's former assistant Eoin Harty, will. American Lion breezed five furlongs in a minute flat on Monday and is ready to go.

American Lion is owned by WinStar Farm, which is loaded for bear this spring. They'll also send out Super Saver, the likely favorite in this weekend's Tampa Bay Derby. The winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club last fall at Churchill Downs will be ridden for the first time by NYRA leading jockey Ramon Dominguez. He'll replace regular rider Calvin Borel, as Borel will be otherwise occupied riding Rachel Alexandra in her season debut at the Fair Grounds. But Borel won't be out in the cold come Derby time - he will pick up the mount on Fountain of Youth runner-up Jackson Bend for the April 3 Wood Memorial, replacing regular rider Jeremy Rose.

Super Saver is trained by Todd Pletcher, as is WinStar stablemate and Sam F. Davis winner Rule, headed to the Florida Derby on March 20. But Pletcher could choose to send Rule to the Wood Memorial instead, avoiding a confrontation with fellow trainee Eskendereya, runaway winner of the Fountain of Youth. All three colts worked on Monday, with Super Saver going five furlongs in 1:00.71, Eskendereya a half in :49.38 and Rule five furlongs in 1:01.09.