Should Be a Memorable Day

No matter what track is a horseplayer’s favorite, he or she will have plenty of action on this holiday Monday.

Hollywood Park is offering a Grade II stakes, a pair of Grade I’s and a $1-million guaranteed pick six, Belmont Park has the $750,000 Metropolitan Handicap and Lone Star Park has the return of Congaree in the $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap, one of seven stakes worth a combined $1 million on the card.

After six 3-year-olds begin the day at Hollywood Park in the $150,000 Lazaro Barrera Memorial Stakes at seven furlongs, Astra will try to defend her title in the $500,000 Gamely Breeders’ Cup Handicap and trainer Julio Canani will try to win the $500,000 Shoemaker Breeders’ Cup Mile for the third time in four years.

Canani, who finished 1-2 with Silic and Ladies Din in 1999 and 2000, will try to hit the exacta again with Ladies Din, who is one for one as a 7-year-old, and the improved Special Ring.

Run at a flat mile on the turf, the Shoemaker also attracted the Neil Drysdale-trained duo of Irish Prize and Touch Of The Blues. They finished 1-2 in the race last year and Drysdale will be trying for his third victory in the Shoemaker since 1998.

The Metropolitan, which is one of the best betting races of the year, has a definite California feel. Among the horses running are Grey Memo, D’wildcat, Swept Overboard, Aldebaran and Crafty C.T.

Making his first start since he was third as the 2-5 favorite in the Jim Dandy last Aug. 4 at Saratoga, Congaree is scheduled to face 11 in the Lone Star Park Handicap. Pat Day will ride the 4-year-old son of Arazi for the first time for trainer Bob Baffert and Robert and Janice McNair’s Stonerside Stable.

Race of the day: The seventh at Hollywood Park is a contentious starter allowance at 71/2 furlongs and it will be a spread race for a lot of pick six players.

Who’s hot: Jason Lumpkins. The jockey won four races on Saturday at Bay Meadows, including the Foster City with the ageless Native Desert.

Who’s not: Antonio Castanon and Barrington Harvey. The two riders are a combined four for 107 at Bay Meadows.

Exotically speaking: A pick four using Irish Muldoon, Spend Spend Spend and Further in the seventh, Ladies Din and Special Ring in the eighth, Miss Tropics and Issaqueena in the ninth and Double Cat, Rhiana and Last Tango in the 10th.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 4/65. Money: Previous day/meet total: $33.40/$384.20. Total money bet: $430.