It's always fun to watch trainers juggle schedules at this time of year, as those with multiple Derby contenders in their barns are working feverishly to keep their top runners apart, thereby maximizing the all-important graded earnings for each. Adding to the chaos are the owners - all have their own agendas, and trainers must manage all of them without slighting anyone.

Todd Pletcher, who saddled last year's Derby winner Super Saver, is in the spotlight this year with a trio of talented colts - Eclipse champion Uncle Mo; Stay Thirsty, who like Uncle Mo, is owned by Mike Repole; and Brethren, a half-brother to Super Saver who is owned by WinStar Farm, which also campaigned the latter colt.

Uncle Mo is expected to make his 3-year-old debut in the Timely Writer Stakes on March 12 at Gulfstream; the track carded the event in hopes of luring the champion away from the Tampa Bay Derby on the same day. The latter race, which Super Saver finished third in last year, now becomes a logical target for little brother Brethren, who is coming off a win in the Sam F. Davis over the same track. However, if the Timely Writer doesn't fill, Uncle Mo will likely be re-routed to Tampa Bay, forcing Pletcher to either run two of his colts against each other or find another race for Brethren. Meanwhile, Stay Thirsty makes his season debut in this Saturday's Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct; the race is the local prep for the Wood Memorial on April 9. But Repole, a New York native, plans to have Uncle Mo make his final Derby prep in front of a hometown crowd in that event, meaning Stay Thirsty will likely leave New York for another prep.

Steve Asmussen, who is based in California for the first time this winter, has a trio of interesting colts on the Derby trail. Albergatti, a recent maiden winner at the Santa Anita meet, is owned by Jess Jackson, who campaigned two Horses of the Year with Asmussen in Curlin and Rachel Alexandra. Stakes winner Astrology is owned by Jackson and George Bolton in partnership - Bolton was also involved with Curlin - while El Camino Real Derby winner Silver Medallion is owned by Michael Ryan.

All winter, it was thought that Astrology would make his 3-year-old debut in the San Felipe on March 12. However, with Albergatti breaking his maiden impressively to join the fray, he'll now contest the San Felipe instead. Astrology will be re-routed to the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn a week later - a race won by Curlin en route to a solid Triple Crown season. If both win or run convincingly, it would make sense to leave Astrology down south to contest the Arkansas Derby while Albergatti remains in California to train for the Santa Anita Derby; but if one of the colts flops, the options suddenly open up for the other. Meanwhile, plans are up in the air for Silver Medallion; he could go in the San Felipe, Rebel, Louisiana Derby or Sunland Park Derby.