Lady of Venice and jockey Julien Leparoux under the lights at Hollywood (Benoit Photo)

Martin S. Schwartz's LADY OF VENICE (Fr) (Loup Solitaire) was nowhere turning for home in Friday night's $1 million CashCall Mile S. (G2), but after Julien Leparoux switched her to the outside in the stretch, she quickened in devastating style to score by 1 1/4 lengths. The Patrick Biancone-trained four-year-old blitzed the mile in 1:33 2/5 on the firm turf at Hollywood Park to stamp her authority on an international field.

In the early going, Lady of Venice was reserved near the back of the pack as a spirited pace duel developed up front. Precious Kitten (Catienus) reeled off demanding splits of :22 4/5 and :46 while pressed by Arm Candy (Ire) (Nashwan) and Koiuta (Jpn) (Fuji Kiseki), with 4-5 favorite Price Tag (GB) (Dansili [GB]) tracking along the rail. By the time six furlongs had been reached in 1:09 3/5, Precious Kitten had subdued her pace rivals, but a new round of challengers emerged on either side of her. Price Tag crept forward and appeared ready to pounce, and Dia de la Novia (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) made a strong, circling move to vault into contention on the turn. Meanwhile, Lady of Venice was buried along the inside, in tight quarters, and had seven horses in front of her.

Price Tag grabbed a narrow lead from Precious Kitten in the stretch, but Dia de la Novia's eye-catching move began to stall as she tread water in third. At this well judged moment, Leparoux angled Lady of Venice to a clear path on the outside. The chestnut struck top gear to blast past Price Tag and a super-game Precious Kitten, gearing herself down as she crossed under the wire an emphatic winner.

Sent off as the 5-1 second choice in the nine-horse field, Lady of Venice returned $12.20, $5.20 and $3.40. Precious Kitten outdueled her stablemate, Price Tag, by a head to garner runner-up honors. The 5-1 third choice gave back $6.60 and $3.80, and Price Tag yielded $2.40 to show. The 17-1 Kiss to Heaven (Jpn) (Admire Vega) rallied smartly to nail Dia de la Novia near the line for fourth. The $1 exotics were worth $26.20 (exacta), $62.60 (trifecta) and $544.20 (7-1-6-9 superfecta). Arm Candy reported home sixth, followed by Alexandra Rose (SAf) (Caesour), Dancing Edie (Moscow Ballet) and Koiuta. Champion Wait a While (Maria's Mon), the 9-5 morning-line favorite, was scratched after coming down with a temperature.