Ventura becomes first mare to win Woodbine Mile

Ventura, shown earlier this year, thrashed males in stakes-record time at Woodbine (Charles Pravata/Horsephotos.com) Producing her trademark burst of speed in the stretch, Juddmonte Farms' homebred VENTURA (Chester House) blazed her way into the record book as the first female winner of the $954,742 Woodbine Mile (Can-G1) on Sunday. Runner-up in this event last year on unfavorably yielding ground, the Bobby Frankel mare relished the firm turf this time to rattle off the mile in a stakes record 1:32.04, just off the course record of 1:31.84. "Definitely, the soft ground hurt her chances (last year)," regular rider Garrett Gomez said. "She's got such a beautiful turn of foot, and on the soft ground she was not able to show that explosive move like you saw today. It takes away from her a little bit. "To come off a (five-month) layoff, and to do what she did today, she is a tremendous mare. "You don't worry with Bobby (about a horse's fitness)," Gomez added. "He does a tremendous job, and he knows this filly like the back of his own hand. She was off for a while, but you could see she was feeling her oats and had those pre-race nerves. But I got her calmed down and after that, she settled in."

Ventura was

confidently handled by Gomez, who allowed her to settle in

ninth in the 10-horse field. A pace battle ensued on the front end, with Grand Adventure (Grand Slam)

winging his way through splits of :23 2/5, :46 and 1:09. Defending champion

Rahy's Attorney (Crown Attorney) and Jungle Wave (Hold That Tiger) were in hot

pursuit, and they forced the issue all the way to the top of the stretch.

By that point, Jungle Wave put his head in front, but his advantage was

short-lived. Southern California invader Ferneley (Ire) (Ishiguru) was barreling

between his Canadian-based rivals, but even more ominously, Ventura was just

beginning to rev up on the outside. The high-class mare rapidly outkicked

Ferneley and maintained a safe, one-length margin while much the best.

"She did everything so well," Gomez said. "I didn't really have to get into

her so hard. I squeezed her, but I didn't even use the whip on her today, to

encourage her any more than what she was doing. She went by so fast, and she did

it

quite impressively."

"Great credit to Bobby and all the crew for having her ready off her

layoff," said Garrett O'Rourke, the Juddmonte Farm manager. "She is one of his

very favorites, she is a super mare, she is so full of spit and vinegar, and she

came here today, and went one better than (last year). The ground definitely

made a difference today. She's got a fantastic turn of foot, and Garrett rode her

perfectly."

Sent off as the slight second choice at 2-1, Ventura returned $6.20, $3.30

and $3.20. Ferneley was himself three lengths clear in a fine performance,

paying $5.80 and $4.30 as the third choice at 6-1. The exactor was good for

$43.20. Sterwins (Runaway Groom), who was last through the first six furlongs,

finished well to grab third in a three-way photo. The 9-1 shot yielded $4.20 and

concluded the $239.30 triactor. Jungle Wave stayed on bravely for fourth at

15-1, and the 9-3-2-10 superfecta swelled to $1,739.70.

Bribon (Fr) (Mark of Esteem [Ire]), the 2-1 favorite, was fifth virtually

throughout and held that spot at the wire, missing third by two noses. Field

Commission (Service Stripe) wound up sixth, trailed by Rahy's Attorney, Sand

Cove (Bold Executive), Grand Adventure and Barbados shipper Daylight Express

(Seeking Daylight).

Ventura's sixth stakes score advanced her record to 19-9-7-1 and pushed her

bankroll to $2,221,755. Victorious in last year's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare

Sprint, Just a Game S. (G1) and Madison S. (G2), she added the Santa Monica H.

(G1) to her resume early this season. Her past two efforts resulted in agonizing

losses in the shadow of the wire. Just gunned down by male divisional leader Gio

Ponti (Tale of the Cat) in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1) two back, Ventura

was last seen being collared by Informed Decision (Monarchos) in the Madison S.

(G1) on Keeneland's Polytrack.

The Kentucky-bred Ventura was first campaigned in England, breaking her

maiden in her second start before competing in handicaps with mixed success. She

then switched to the Polytrack at Kempton, where she broke through with her

first stakes coup in the Hyde S. at the expense of males. That booked her ticket

to the United States. The versatile five-year-old, who is equally adept on turf

and synthetic, has also placed in the 2008 CashCall Mile Invitational (G2) and

Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G3).

Ventura was produced by the multiple French stakes-placed Estala (GB) (Be My

Guest), who is herself a half-sister to English Group 3 warrior Vortex (GB) (Danehill);

French stakes victress and classic-placed Erudite (Generous); and French Group 3

queens Prove (Danehill) and Danefair (Danehill), the latter the dam of multiple

English Group 3 winner Trade Fair (GB) (Zafonic). Ventura's third dam is Cairn

Rouge (Ire) (Pitcairn), heroine of the Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) and

Champion S. (Eng-G1) in 1980.

O'Rourke indicated that a title defense in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare

Sprint, back at Santa Anita on November 6, is in the cards.

"The plan was always to go back in to try to win a second filly sprint, and

obviously we will sit down and discuss that," O'Rourke said. "I think that they

will have to bring their running shoes to try to beat her on that same race. She

loves that track."