Ventura challenges males in Shoemaker Mile

Multiple Grade 1 queen VENTURA (Chester House), a gallant second in both of

her attempts versus males in North America, hopes that the third time's the

charm in Monday's $250,000

Shoemaker Mile (G1) at Hollywood Park. The Bobby Frankel mare gets in with a

119-pound impost, receiving a five-pound break in the weights from her seven

male opponents.

If Ventura is victorious, she would become only the third distaffer to win

the Shoemaker in its 65-year history. Its first two female stars, Happy Issue

(1946) and Special Touch (1951), won the event in its former incarnation, when

it was contested at six furlongs on the main track and known as the Hollywood

Premiere H. Special Touch was ridden by none other than Hall of Famer Willie

Shoemaker himself, for whom the race, now held at one mile on turf, was renamed

in 1990.

Ventura (right) lost a heartbreaker in the Kilroe (Benoit Photo) Successful in such top-rank affairs as the Just a Game S. (G1), Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint and Santa Monica H. (G1) against fellow distaffers, Ventura has upheld that high standard when venturing outside of her own division. The Juddmonte Farms homebred was a solid second in the Woodbine Mile (Can-G1) on unsuitably yielding ground last September, and two starts back in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1) at Santa Anita, she held the lead in the stretch before being caught on the wire by Gio Ponti (Tale of the Cat). Ventura has occasionally been nabbed at the line by fillies too. In her only prior appearance at Hollywood, the dark bay was denied by Diamond Diva (GB) (Dansili [GB]) in the CashCall Mile Invitational (G2) last July, and she comes off another near-miss in the seven-furlong Madison S. (G1) on Keeneland's Polytrack. Regular rider Garrett Gomez is once again charged with keeping her mind on the game. Although Ventura has yet to score a victory against males on this continent, she twice defeated males on her old stomping grounds in England, both when breaking her maiden and when taking the Hyde S. at Kempton.

The expected quick pace in the Shoemaker could play right into Ventura's

late-running strengths, but it will also suit the highly regarded WHATSTHESCRIPT

(Ire) (Royal Applause [GB]), who will make his 2009 bow for John Sadler. In his

2008 debut at Hollywood, the bay turned in a scintillating display when landing

the American H. (G2) over STORM MILITARY (Arg) (Bernstein) and HYPERBARIC (Sky

Classic). Whatsthescript was a respectable third in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1)

in October, perhaps compromised by being stuck in post 11, but will save ground

from post 2 here with new rider Joel Rosario.

Citation H. (G1) winner Hyperbaric and Argentinean champion Storm Military

figure to flash early speed, along with Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) victor THORN

SONG (Unbridled's Song). Hyperbaric and Thorn Song will try to rebound off

disappointing efforts. Hyperbaric, third in last year's Shoemaker, faded to

finish 14th in the super-tough Dubai Duty Free (UAE-G1) last time out, but the

hitherto consistent performer should do much better back on his home turf. The

Julio Canani charge gets a rider switch to Victor Espinoza. The front-running

Thorn Song wound up fifth and sixth, respectively, in the Woodford Reserve Turf

Classic (G1) and Maker's Mark Mile (G1) in his past two. Mike Smith picks up the

mount on the Dale Romans-trained gray, who will bid to carry his speed farther

in his Hollywood debut.

Storm Military, a stablemate of Ventura, returned from an eight-month layoff

to finish a game runner-up to Madeo (Mizzen Mast) in the Inglewood H. (G3) over

the course. Irish highweight U S RANGER (Danzig) was another head away in third,

and he too should move forward in his third start off a layoff for Neil Drysdale.

In his final start of 2008, U S Ranger was a creditable fifth in the Breeders'

Cup Mile. Brice Blanc will be back aboard Storm Military for Frankel, while

Rafael Bejarano will get acquainted with U S Ranger.

Richard Mandella will saddle two who project stalking trips in the Shoemaker.

The more accomplished of the duo is DIXIE CHATTER (Dixie Union). A Grade 1

winner as a juvenile, the bay was a close third to Gio Ponti and Ventura in the

Kilroe, and he exits a driving score in the Arcadia H. (G2). Tyler Baze sticks

with the honest campaigner. TIZ WEST (Gone West) lost his form after landing the

Cinema H. (G3) here last summer, but was freshened and prepped for this

engagement with a useful fourth in the San Simeon H. (G3) sprinting down the

hill. Joe Talamo has the call.