A contentious group of 13 is scheduled for the 9th running of the Explosive Bid H. (G2) that includes seven graded winners vying for the winner's share of a $600,000 purse.

The previous two editions of the 1 1/8 mile grassy event were captured by California shippers, and there are six West Coast-based runners who will try to extend that streak.

TIJIYR (Ire) (Primo Dominie) can take advantage of the expected lively pace and will light up the board if he gets to the wire first. Robby Albarado, who perhaps knows this course better than anyone, has the mount, and Tijiyr can claim an upset against his more well-known rivals.

Bred in Ireland by His Highness The Aga Khan, Tijiyr comes from the solid connections of owner Gary Tanaka and trainer Niall O'Callaghan. The gray scored impressively last out over this surface in an optional claiming event, closing strongly to win by six lengths. He faced strong competition in France, placing in two tough Group 3 events and finishing second to Dansili (GB) (Danehill), a Group 2 winner in France who was a fast closing third in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1). Tijiyr is a hard-knocking horse with a 12-2-7-2 career record on the turf and looks to have taken to U.S. soil exceptionally well. He gets in light at 110 pounds and should go off at double-digit odds.

KING CUGAT (Kingmambo) has been off since faltering as the favorite in the Breeders' Cup Mile when he finished 11th after clipping heels early in the race. Trainer Bill Mott has worked the four-year-old steadily at Payson Park with this spot in mind and put a bullet five-furlong move in him earlier in the month. King Cugat was solid as a three-year-old, winning 4-of-5 races prior to the Breeders' Cup debacle and finishing second to Ciro (Woodman) in the Secretariat S. (G1) over a yielding surface at Arlington Park. He will probably go off as the favorite but spots our top choice 11 pounds and is vulnerable. Don't leave the king out of your exotics, but we're playing against him for the win.

WHATA BRAINSTORM (Honor Grades) captured the Pan American H. (G2) last out and just missed prior to that in the Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup H. (G1). The James Picou-conditioned four-year-old has not shied from stakes competition, competing in graded events in his last eight starts and finishing off the board only twice. The Sustained runner seems to be always in the mix and if jockey Jorge Chavez can keep him out of trouble, he has a huge shot for a big piece of the purse.

NORTHERN QUEST (Fr) (Rainbow Quest) looks to be the better half of the uncoupled Bobby Frankel-trained entry, with EL GRAN PAPA (El Gran Senor) being the other. Northern Quest exits a solid score in the Golden Gate Breeders' Cup H. (G3). The six-year-old owns the best BRIS Late Pace figures in the group, and his stalking style should have him in striking position. He won two good races last year, closing late to win both the Arlington H. (G3) and the Del Mar H. (G2). If Northern Quest can re-capture that form, he can make some noise.

Local favorite NORTHCOTE ROAD (Conquistador Cielo) is a horse for the course with a 10-7-2-0 record over this grass, including a recent score in the Mardi Gras H. The Early runner breaks from the inside post and good gate jockey Larry Melancon will most likely send him from the outset to battle for the lead. Northcote Road is sharp, firing two consecutive bullet moves in preparation for this, and he shows the best BRIS Turf Speed rating in the field. But the bay gelding is winless at the distance and meets a tough bunch. He finished ninth in this race last year and could very well improve on that showing in this one. But he'll draw a lot of support from the on-track bettors so he probably won't offer as much value as he should.

YARALINO (GB) (Caerleon) is an extremely well-bred five-year-old who stole the Tanforan H. (G3) at Golden Gate Fields two races back but could not get to the lead in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G2) last out and finished ninth. Trainer Wally Dollase takes the blinkers off his charge for this affair in hopes of settling him down a bit. A patient ride from Mike Smith could get Yaralino in the money.

CANDID GLEN (El Gran Senor) has won two consecutive stakes and returns to his home base after a successful trip to Texas where he took the Connally Breeders' Cup Turf H. by a nose over PROFIT OPTION (Alleged), who also goes in this one. Candid Glen is a confirmed closer who needs a perfect trip to have a chance against this caliber of competition.

Profit Option closed well to just miss in the Connally and has put in two good efforts since returning from a six-month vacation. He captured a high priced optional claiming event prior to the Connally and ended his five-year-old campaign with a couple of second-place finishes in Grade 3 events at Arlington. He's proven at the distance and is a candidate for a wager in the gimmicks.

DEPLOY VENTURE (GB) (Deploy) would have a better chance if not burdened with the outside post. The Darrell Vienna-trained five-year-old was fifth in the Kilroe last out and has intermittently put up good speed and pace numbers. He's a bit inconsistent, but with a wake-up call has the talent to compete for part.

El Gran Papa's best effort was in his first start for the Eclipse Award-winning trainer when he finished sixth in the Hollywood Derby (G1), only 2 1/2 lengths behind at the wire after breaking slowly. El Gran Papa has posted triple-digit late pace ratings in each of his last three races but needs to prove he belongs with these before getting any of our money.

MONTEMIRO (Fr) (Kris) has grabbed show money in his last three starts. He is another who is well-bred for the surface and the distance, but his speed and pace numbers are spotty and a cut below others. DEVINE WIND (American Chance) returns to the lawn after scoring a neck victory against allowance foes at this venue. He'll be a pace factor but doesn't look to have enough to stay on at the end. SUNSPOT (Manzotti) is a Sustained runner who has dropped far back in his last two races and closed willingly but ran out of ground too soon. He'll have a tough time matching strides with these.