Shoemaker Mile J

AMERICAN GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS

Monday’s $250,000 Shoemaker Mile (G1) promises to be a highly competitive
turf affair, so likely favorites DAYTONA (Ire) (Indian Ridge) and EVER A FRIEND
(Crafty Friend) could be worth opposing here. We’ll tab the Bobby
Frankel-trained THOUSAND WORDS (GB) (Dansili [GB]) to pull a minor upset at
Hollywood Park.

Yet another well-bred representative of Juddmonte Farms, Thousand Words
enjoyed a smart reputation for a time in England. The bay captured a Group 3
event at Newmarket as a juvenile, and although he failed to shine during his
three-year-old season, he still turned in creditable efforts against much
tougher company than this. Beaten a total of 3 1/4 lengths when fifth in the
one-mile French Two Thousand Guineas (Fr-G1), he was also a solid fourth to the
classy Tariq (Kyllachy) in the Lennox S. (Eng-G2). Thousand Words joined Frankel
this winter, and in his only American turf outing, he scored in an
allowance/optional claimer at this distance. We believe that Thousand Words is
coming in under the radar, so to speak, in the wake of non-threatening fifths in
the Commonwealth S. (G2) on Polytrack and the Churchill Downs S. (G2) on dirt.
Back on the grass, at one mile, the four-year-old figures to distinguish
himself, especially with an honest pace to set up his late kick for David
Flores.

Daytona is a model of both quality and consistency. The chestnut gelding has
won five of his last six starts, all in graded stakes, and his lone setback can
be excused by the fact that it took place on yielding ground. The Dan Hendricks
charge prefers to dictate on the front end, but with the speedy GET FUNKY
(Straight Man) drawn to his inside, he may not get the pacesetting trip that he
enjoys. Moreover, we suspect that he’s better going longer distances, and he may
not have that quick burst of a top-class miler. Last time out, Daytona cut back
to a flat mile and just lasted by a neck from a fast-finishing HYPERBARIC (Sky
Classic) in the Arcadia H. (G2). At nine furlongs and beyond, we’d tab him, but
we’re taking the Arcadia as an indication that a mile is short of ideal. Alex
Solis will guide the admirable campaigner from the outside post 8.

Ever a Friend has shown massive improvement since being claimed by trainer
Mike Mitchell for $62,500. The gray landed the about 6 1/2-furlong Impressive
Luck H. on the downhill turf at Santa Anita, then surprised as a 9-1 shot in the
Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1). Ever a Friend looked like a world-beater in the
Kilroe, kicking 3 3/4 lengths clear in the stretch, but that was not the deepest
edition of a usually tough race. No one else from the Kilroe is attempting the
Shoemaker, so we’d prefer to see how Ever a Friend acquits himself versus better
rivals. The gelding still deserves respect as a strong candidate for a placing
beneath Tyler Baze.

Hyperbaric stamped himself as an upwardly mobile type in 2006, when he landed
his first three career starts. Sidelined for 14 months, the Julio Canani pupil
reappeared in February and just missed by a nose in an allowance before his
commendable runner-up effort to Daytona in the Arcadia. Hyperbaric loves the
distance and is eligible to move forward in his third start off the layoff.
Rafael Bejarano picks up the mount.

Frankel’s other hopeful, MAST TRACK (Mizzen Mast), switches back to turf
after rolling to a sharp allowance score on Santa Anita’s Cushion Track. To be
sure, he had a fitness edge over his notable victims, Brother Derek (Benchmark)
and Dixie Meister (Holzmeister), who were both returning from extended holidays,
but he did everything the right way. As a lightly raced four-year-old, Mast
Track has scope to progress and could hold on for a small share if he does not
get embroiled with Get Funky early. In contrast, the old warhorse PERFECT DRIFT
(Dynaformer) will try to recover his best form in his first outing for Richard
Mandella. The honest nine-year-old was a fixture in major dirt races for five
years, bankrolling $4.6 million in the process, but he lost a step in 2007 and
has not been seen since July. Although we’d love to see him do well in this
spot, even in his heyday he looked a cut below on the grass. We’ll confine
ourselves to a sentimental cheer this time around.

Get Funky was an unlikely runner-up in the 2007 Shoemaker, and it’s difficult
to envision him repeating that effort. His last two victories both came
sprinting, including the Morvich H. (G3) last fall, and he’s winless from four
tries at a mile. Get Funky is likely to tire after mixing it up early. NOTIONAL
(In Excess [Ire]) has been curiously spotted this season and enters this
engagement in dubious form.