Could be short Santa Anita Derby field

Only four horses lined up to take on Brother Derek in the 2006 Santa Anita Derby, and the field could be as small this year when the race for the West Coast's premier 3-year-olds is run for the 72nd time.
Only three colts -- Chocolate Candy, Feisty Suances and Mr. Hot Stuff -- are scheduled to line up against Pioneerof the Nile and The Pamplemousse in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 4, a race that has drawn an on-track crowd in excess of 50,000 each of the past three years.
The race lost a potential starter this week when trainer Todd Pletcher said Take the Points, runner-up to The Pamplemousse in the Sham Stakes on Feb. 28, was now being pointed toward the $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 11 because of the presence of both Pioneerof the Nile and The Pamplemousse.
Pletcher told the Daily Racing Form that he would reconsider the Santa Anita Derby if there was one or two defections. Garrett Gomez would ride Take the Points in the Blue Grass, but he'd need a different rider if he ran in the Santa Anita Derby. Gomez is scheduled to ride Pioneerof the Nile in the Arcadia race.