PATH TO CLASSIC GETTING CROWDED.

Byline: KEVIN MODESTI

INGLEWOOD - This is shaping up as quite the summer for thoroughbred racing fans. And I'm not referring to the Seabiscuit movie that comes out next week. Even the greatest movie is entertaining only once or twice. Anyway, a horseplayer would go broke paying movie-theater prices.

I'm talking about the summer of real-life races leading to the Breeders' Cup contests Oct. 25, when the sport's richest event will make an overdue return to Southern California at Santa Anita.

Seabiscuit isn't a contender for the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic, that day's main event, but a lot of big-name horses are.

``It's going to be one of the toughest Classics (ever),'' drawled John Adger, manager of the racing stable of Houston Texans owner Bob McNair.

Sunday at Hollywood Park, another star jumped onto the list of Classic hopefuls when McNair-owned Congaree won the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup in front of 21,017 fans, incidentally giving jockey Jerry Bailey his fifth Gold Cup and trainer Bob Baffert his second.

Even if this wasn't the strongest of the 64 Gold Cups, Congaree's close- to-the-pace victory in the brisk 1 1/4-mile race was impressive enough to enhance his reputation and raise his handlers' aspirations.

Before this, the 5-year-old horse, saddled with a lot to prove from birth because he's a son of 1992 Kentucky Derby flop Arazi, had been a major-race winner in shorter events but no great shakes at the Breeders' Cup Classic distance of 1 1/4 miles. He had come in third behind Monarchos in the 2001 Kentucky Derby and second to Milwaukee Brew - although it took a photo to deny him - in the 2003 Santa Anita Handicap. It was getting to be make-or-break time for Congaree as far as the long races were concerned.

That impression was reflected in the first round of official Breeders' Cup contender rankings, released earlier this month, placing Congaree at No. 1 in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Sprint and No. 6 in the Classic.

``If he hadn't run well (Sunday), we would have serious thought of shortening him up and running him in the Breeders' Cup Sprint,'' Adger said in the Hollywood Park winner's circle.

And now?

``Now I think we have to look at him as a possibility for the Breeders' Cup Classic,'' Adger said. ``I think this puts him in position now to go for the big dance.''

The Santa Anita dance floor is getting mighty crowded.

Let's see, you've heard of Funny Cide, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, and Empire Maker, the Belmont Stakes spoiler. The 3-year-old stars are scheduled to resume their seasons on the same day, Aug. 3, but not in the same race - Funny Cide in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth and Empire Maker in the Jim Dandy at Saratoga.

You remember Medaglia d'Oro, one of the 3-year-old stars of 2002 and the leader-in-the-clubhouse of this season's older horses. He's recovered from a foot injury suffered in his stall and aiming for the Aug. 2 Whitney Handicap at Saratoga.

Don't forget Milwaukee Brew, the only horse other than John Henry to win the Santa Anita Handicap. His training was set back by a fever and muddy tracks in New York, but he might make the Whitney.

Keep an eye on Perfect Drift, some wise guys' (hello) Kentucky Derby pick last year but an underachiever until he won the Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs last month. He's going to use next Saturday's Washington Park Handicap at Arlington as a steppingstone to the Aug. 16 Arlington Million.

There's Mineshaft, who only happens to be the East Coast's most accomplished older horse this season. He's got his eye on the Whitney.

And there's Volponi, the 2002 Breeders' Cup Classic winner who ran second to Mineshaft in the Suburban Handicap at Belmont. He's looking at the Whitney.

And make way for Candy Ride, the impressive South American import who will get his next test in either the Aug. 3 San Diego Handicap or the Aug. 24 Pacific Classic at Del Mar.

Oh, and let's not discard Harlan's Holiday, the eastern shipper who chased Congaree home Sunday. ''I think he ran a huge race,'' jockey John Velazquez said.

July and August are when Breeders' Cup contention usually undergoes the most attrition. In recent years, Hollywood Gold Cup winners have been among the casualties. In the past decade, only Cigar (1995) went on to win the Breeders' Cup Classic; six others failed to win another Grade I race the rest of the year, and five of those failed to win any race.

If Congaree bucks the trend - for that matter, even if he doesn't - the nation's living racehorses figure to give ``Seabiscuit'' a run for the summer entertainment dollar.