Singletary tries again in Shoemaker

SINGLETARY (Sultry Song) ran a good second in the Shoemaker Breeders' Cup

Mile S. (G1) at Hollywood Park last year prior to a summer-long break that ended

when he finished just a head back in third in the Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile

(G2) in early October. In his next start, the Donald Chatlos Jr. charge posted a

half-length victory in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1).

On Monday, Singletary will try to go one better in this year's $350,000

edition of the Shoemaker en route to an attempted title defense in the Breeders'

Cup. The five-year-old finished seventh in his 2005 bow, the Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1), and then captured the Arcadia H. (G2) by a length last out.

The bay will be on even terms with his six rivals, as each will have to tote 124

pounds. David Flores, aboard for the Breeders' Cup win, will get the mount back

after jockey Alex Solis, in the saddle for both starts this season, has the call

on BUCKLAND MANOR (Bien Bien).

That five-year-old chestnut has already knocked heads with Singletary,

finishing ahead of his rival when running second in the Kilroe Mile two back and

Oak Tree last year. He did finish third in the Arcadia last out and will be

looking to avenge that defeat on Monday. Another contender, CASTLEDALE (Ire)

(Peintre Celebre) will be looking to validate his half-length score in the San

Francisco Breeders' Cup H. (G2) most recently. Winner of the Santa Anita Derby

(G1) while on the Triple Crown Trail last season, the Jeff Mullins trainee has

returned to the turf and blossomed in two starts this campaign. Rene Douglas has

piloting duties again.

Castledale will lead the post parade to the gate. He'll be followed by

SPECIAL RING (Nureyev), Tyler Baze; WHILLY (Ire) (Sri Pekan), Felipe Martinez;

KING OF HAPPINESS (Spinning World), Corey Nakatani; FAST AND FURIOUS (Fr) (Singspiel [Ire]),

Victor Espinoza; Buckland Manor; and Singletary.

Also on Hollywood's Memorial Day card will be the $350,000 Gamely Breeders'

Cup H. (G1) for turf distaffers. Trainer Bobby Frankel decided not to enter

Megahertz (GB) (Pivotal) in the nine-furlong test because of her weight

assignment, so the talented chestnut won't get the chance to finally earn a win

in the race after running third and second, respectively, the past two years.

Instead, MISS TERRIBLE (Arg) (Numerous) will be the one returning for a better

finishing position after a close fourth in the 2003 edition.

Trained by Bradley Ross, the bay didn't run at all last year, but returned a

new mare for her six-year-old campaign, already taking the Las Flores H. (G3) on

the dirt before capturing the Distaff Turf Mile (G3) last out on the green. A

two-time champion in her native Argentina, Miss Terrible could start her quest

for a

U.S. championship with a win in the Gamely. She'll have to tote the highweight

of 118 pounds, most of which will be taken up by Mike Smith.

Among Miss Terrible's rivals will be two-time Grade 1 victress ISLAND FASHION

(Petionville), who is seeking her first win since taking the Lady's Secret

Breeders' Cup H. (G2) in early October. The Marcelo Polanco trainee made her

five-year-old debut a close runner-up finish in the Santa Monica H. (G1), but

has been off the board in two starts since.

NADESZHDA (GB) (Nashwan) drew the rail post under Julio Garcia and has been

assigned 113 pounds. To her outside will be AMORAMA (Fr) (Sri Pekan), Douglas,

116; MEA DOMINA (Dance Brightly), Baze, 115; FLIP FLOP (Fr) (Zieten), Solis,

114; Miss Terrible; Island Fashion, Nakatani, 116; HALO OLA (Arg) (Southern

Halo), Jose Valdivia Jr., 115; SOLAR ECHO (Spinning World), Flores, 116; and

URAIB (Ire) (Mark of Esteem [Ire]), Garrett Gomez, 113.