Okay, Lawrence Taylor won't be doing the conga in Arcadia this weekend but there will be a cavalcade of stars lining up for stakes action. Besides the Santa Anita Handicap, the Honest Lady, the Frank E. Kilroe Mile, and the Santa Anita Oaks will highlight the biggest day of the meet.

Since a million is on the line, let's take a look at the mile and a quarter Santa Anita Handicap. First run in 1935 and won that year by Azucar, but the dominant player in this race in the early days was Seabiscuit.

The legend lost photo finishes in consecutive years, the last when beaten by a horse carrying 30 pounds less than him.

After a serious injury he returned in 1940 to succeed in the Big 'Cap in his final career start. Round Table, Cougar 11 and the 'White Corvette' Vigors also won this race but the glory days of this fixture came in a 4-year run when Affirmed, Spectacular Bid and John Henry twice won the biggest prize at Anita.

Last year Jerry Hollendorfer's Heatseeker sat in 4th over 15 lengths off the pace early before exploding to cash at 7-1 with a credible 110 Beyer.

A total of 26 were nominated for the showdown this year and 16 are serious candidates so let's examine the players.

Blue Exit comes off his best race in the states but generally concedes double-digit lengths early and there lies the rub. He will need the trip gods in his corner.

Bobby Frankel is loaded for bear. He has Champs Elysses, a classy long-fused Grade 1 winner, Mast Track, a speedball that could have rabbit duties and Zambezi Sun, who was rank in his U.S. debut, all primed to roll.

The three Cs, Colonel John, Court Vision and Cowboy Cal are all legit contenders and should all run well. The Colonel was purely in for exercise in the Malibu, Court Vision has already made one successful West Coast trip when taking the Hollywood Derby and this is not Cowboy's first visit to a rodeo as he tries to turn the hat trick after taking the San Pasqual and the Strub.

Dansant is a true stayer from England but he has zero speed and just was second in a three-horse race.

The smart guys were all over Einstein in the Clark Handicap in November at 9-2 but they got stuck last time. This runner's best asset could be his ability to stay close and still finish.

Magnum will be out to prove his 16-1 San Antonio score was no fluke but he was close to a soft pace that day and will have to come from the clouds this time.

Monba had not raced since the Kentucky Derby before his recent third and not sure he will be up to taking on this caliber foe off just one race.

Matto Mondo gets the acid test but he just might be up to the task. Trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, this one is not intimidated by big fields, he has speed but doesn't need the lead to win and nobody is better than Mandella at judging a rising star.

Nownownow beat a sub-par field in the San Fernando and seems to be up against it. Slew's Tiznow and Victory Pete have never won a Graded race and will be huge prices and the pretender in the cast is Tiago, who always teases but seldom pleases.

What this Big 'Cap lacks in superstar power, it succeeds in the sum of its parts. Here's how it just may unfold. Cowboy Cal, Einstein, Mast Track and Victory Pete will vie early and set the pace. Several players will be shuffled on the turn in the huge field but as they approach the stretch the main players will be there. Court Vision will be launching his bid, Colonel John will be looming on the outside, Matto Mondo will be in a position to thrive while Magnum and Blue Exit will be looking for room.

When the smoke clears, Matto Mondo makes a final thrust to get up by a nose over Court Vision with Champs Elysees completing the trifecta.

Don't settle for too short a price in this wide-open fixture.