Shoemaker, Gamely Top Hollywood's Memorial Card

(from track report)
Ladies Din, an 8-year-old gelding whose legacy will be closely linked to the Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT), will seek a repeat victory in the grass stake at Hollywood Park on Monday. A small but talented field of a half dozen fillies will look to the Gamely Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IT) as their turf showcase.

The pair of $350,000 events heads a Memorial Day stakes tripleheader at Hollywood Park that includes the $150,000 Lazaro S. Barrera Memorial Stakes (gr. III), a seven-furlong race for 3-year-olds. The ten-race card attracted 101 entrants and includes a Pick Six guarantee of $1 million.

Ladies Din has become involved in an ironic twist surrounding the race she won last year and was second to stablemate Silic in 1999 and 2000 by a nose and one-half length, respectively. Now trained by Frank Monteleone, Ladies Din was conditioned by Julio Canani during her previous Shoemaker efforts. Including Silic, Canani has saddled three of the last four winners of the Shoemaker Mile.

Canani currently conditions the horse, Special Ring, who may pose the most serious threat to Ladies Din. The 6-year-old gelding set a course record, 1:32 3/5, for one mile on turf while winning the Wickerr Handicap at Del Mar on Aug. 2. Subsequently shelved with an ankle ailment, Special Ring has been training spectacularly for his return in the Shoemaker.

Ladies Din, meanwhile, disappointed in his only outing since leaving Canani's barn. He finished fourth as the odds-on favorite in the April 26 San Francisco Breeders' Cup Handicap at Bay Meadows. "It was a yielding course, the type he doesn't like," said Monteleone. "But I left him in because he needed the race. The Shoemaker was our goal all along. He's ready to roll."

Owned by Terrance Lanni and Bernard Schiappa, the Florida-bred son of Din's Dancer has earned $1,966,754 from 12 wins in 36 lifetime starts. He has been particularly effective at the one-mile distance with a 7-3-3 record in 16 trips.

$350,000 Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT), 3 & up, 1 mile on turf
PP. Horse, Jockey
1. Tijiyr, Corey Nakatani
2. Medecis, Mike Smith
3. Ladies Din, Patrick Valenzuela
4. Touch of the Blues, Kent Desormeaux
5. War Zone, David Flores
6. Century City, Victor Espinoza
7. Nicobar, Frank Alvarado
8. Special Ring, Jose Valdivia Jr.
9. Redattore, Alex Solis
All carry 124 pounds.

The 37th running of the Gamely, at 1 1/8 miles over the Lakeside Turf Course, attracted a topflight field of six fillies and mares, five of them coming off impressive victories in graded grass races.

Jose Santos, who will be aboard Funny Cide in the New York-bred gelding's Triple Crown bid in the June 7 Belmont Stakes, will be at Hollywood Park to ride Dress To Thrill in the Gamely. A 4-year-old Irish-bred filly, Dress To Thrill has been idle since upsetting 2003 female grass champion Golden Apples in the Dec. 1 Matriarch (gr. IT) at Hollywood Park.

Other Gamely entrants coming off graded wins are Megahertz, Santa Barbara Handicap (gr. IIT); Miss Terrible, Gran Premio Enrique Acebal (Arg-I); Dublino, Wilshire Handicap (gr. IIIT), and Tates Creek, San Gorgonio Handicap (gr. IIT).

$350,000 Gamely Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IT), fillies & mares 3 & up, 1 1/8 mile on turf
PP. Horse, Rider, Wgt.
1. Megahertz, Alex Solis, 118
2. Sentimental Value, Victor Espinoza, 113
3. Miss Terrible, David Flores, 117
4. Dublino, Kent Desormeaux, 122
5. Dress To Thrill, Jose Santos, 122
6. Tates Creek, Patrick Valenzuela, 122

King Robyn, a Florida-bred gelded son of Robyn Dancer, is expected to be favored in the Barrera, which drew a field of 12 evenly-matched sophomores.

Trained by Jeff Mullins for Cornejo Racing Inc., King Robyn has won six of 12 starts for $205,870. He is coming off stakes victories in the March 22 San Pedro at Santa Anita and the April 23 Harry Henson on opening day of Hollywood Park's Spring/Summer Meet.

$150,000 Lazaro S. Barrera Memorial Stakes (gr. II), 3-year-olds, 7 furlongs
PP. Horse, Rider, Wgt.
1. Our Bobby V., Tyler Baze, 115
2. Blazonry, Mike Smith, 113
3. Truckle Feature, David Flores, 115
4. Roll Hennessy Roll, Jose Valdivia Jr., 123
5. Jimmy O, Matt Garcia, 115
6. Runnin' On Nitro, Jose Santos, 115
7. Fly To The Wire, Kent Desormeaux, 113
8. King Robyn, Alex Solis, 120
9. Desert Spirit, 118, Anthony Lovato
10. Ministers Wild Cat, 115, Victor Espinoza
11. Excessivepleasure, 123, Patrick Valenzuela
12. Martinblestme, 118, Corey Nakatani