Hystericalady makes a belated return to action in the Santa Monica (Benoit Photo)

Grade 1 queen HYSTERICALADY (Distorted Humor) will take on only five rivals when breaking from post 5 in Saturday's rescheduled $250,000 Santa Monica H. (G1) at Santa Anita. The seven-furlong test was moved when track officials were forced to cancel last Sunday's card due to continued drainage problems with the Cushion Track.

Hystericalady was queen of the Humana Distaff (G1) at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Derby (G1) undercard in May, then just missed in her next two on Hollywood's Cushion Track to phenom Nashoba's Key (Silver Hawk). Returning to a conventional dirt track next out in the Molly Pitcher S. (G2), the Jerry Hollendorfer-trained five-year-old dominated her opponents by 6 1/4 lengths, before finishing second, just a nose behind, in the Lady's Secret S. (G1) at Santa Anita.

Hystericalady took on some of the best in her division and was a game neck second to Ginger Punch (Awesome Again) in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Monmouth Park in her 2007 finale. The game chestnut will begin her quest for another Distaff appearance in this event.

Among Hystericalady's rivals on Saturday is PUSSYCAT DOLL (Real Quiet). The Bob Baffert-conditioned six-year-old captured the 2005 La Brea (G1) and 2006 Humana Distaff, and she'll be trying for a title defense in the Santa Monica. The bay mare rallied for a four-length score in last year's edition while making her 2007 debut, and she recorded a runner-up finish to Hystericalady in the Humana Distaff three months later. Pussycat Doll will get regular rider Garrett Gomez back in the irons, with the pair teaming up last out to take the Storm Flag Flying S. at Belmont Park in mid-October.

Tiago will return off a three-week break in the Strub (Benoit Photo)

Two races later, a field of nine will line up in the $300,000 Strub S. (G2), with TIAGO (Pleasant Tap) making his second start of the year. The John Shirreffs trainee was seen three weeks ago running third in the San Fernando S. (G2), which was his first loss over Cushion Track. The bay was an easy winner of the Swaps S. (G2) over Hollywood's version of the synthetic surface, prior to a nose score in the Goodwood S. (G1) on Santa Anita's Cushion Track. Tiago ended his three-year-old campaign with a fifth in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) under Mike Smith, who will return to the irons on Saturday.

The Strub is turning into a rehash of the San Fernando, with winner AIR COMMANDER (Point Given), fifth-place runner SAHARA HEAT (A.P. Indy), sixth-placer GREAT HUNTER (Aptitude) and seventh MONZANTE (Maria's Mon) all returning here. Air Commander entered the San Fernando off a fourth in an allowance but exited a nose victor as the 52-1 second-longest shot on the board.

Grade 1 winner Great Hunter will lead the post parade under a 119-pound impost that includes Victor Espinoza. Next in line will be Grade 3 hero SLEW'S TIZZY (Tiznow), Joseph Talamo, 119; Tiago, 123; Monzante, Gomez, 117; Air Commander, Gryder, 121; Sahara Heat, Tyler Baze, 117; GIANT GIZMO (Giant's Causeway), Bejarano, 117; Grade 3 victor WARNING ZONE (Chester House), Joel Rosario, 117; and Sir Beaufort S. (G3) winner MONTEREY JAZZ (Thunderello), Flores, 121.