Shoemaker Mile

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A legitimate Grade 1 field has been assembled for the ultra-competitive
$250,000 Shoemaker Mile S. (G1) over the Hollywood lawn on Monday. Eight in all
entered, headlined by multiple Grade 1 queen VENTURA (Chester House), who will
tackle males for the third time since joining Bobby Frankel. We simply never
pick against the Juddmonte Farms homebred and will tab her for the tally. The
scintillating mare is among the top horses currently in training and can run
with anything, but she’s not perfect. In her last two, the classy lass has
reached the lead in midstretch and has been nailed on the wire, including the
Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1) two back. Garrett Gomez will guide Ventura, who
should get first run on her two closing threats.

WHATSTHESCRIPT (Ire) (Royal Applause [GB]) finished a strong third in the
Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) last fall prior to finishing off his 2008 season with a
flat sixth in the Citation H. (G1) for John Sadler. The oft-brilliant bay won
the American H. (G2) in June with six months off, proving that he can run fresh,
and he sports two graded wins over this sod. Joel Rosario picks up the mount on
the fast closer.

The Neil Drysdale-trained U S RANGER (Danzig) should finally get the perfect
set-up for the first time in four starts on U.S. soil. A closing fifth in the
Breeders’ Cup Mile in his final outing for Aidan O’Brien, the well-bred bay
showed little in a downhill race two back but closed gamely to miss by just a
neck in the Inglewood H. (G3) in his most recent try. The five-year-old should
be in fourth or fifth early beneath Rafael Bejarano prior to putting in his
solid late run. His best could win this.

Argentinean champion STORM MILITARY (Arg) (Bernstein) has been close on a
number of occasions in the United States, seemingly settling for minor awards
too often. The dark bay has sharp early speed and is far from a slouch, but
we’ve yet to see the Frankel charge close the deal when the opportunity has
arisen against this type. Citation star HYPERBARIC (Sky Classic) was riding a
four-race win streak prior to being shipped to Dubai to face a field that was
simply over his head. The Julio Canani charge has been freshened since, but we
never thought he was better than our top two picks, and the long trip may have
also taken just a bit out of him. Victor Espinoza will break from the rail atop
the gelding.

Recent Arcadia H. (G2) winner DIXIE CHATTER (Dixie Union) has proven that the
turf is his best surface, as he’s won twice and been close in his other three
grass tries for Richard Mandella. The four-year-old bay proved that he belongs
at this level with a good third in the Kilroe, so we’ll use him in the gimmicks.
Tyler Baze retains the mount.

We like the bold move to ship Shadwell Turf Mile S. (G1) victor THORN SONG (Unbridled’s
Song), but the six-year-old has missed the board in four straight and will
almost surely face early pressure in this test. We’ll leave the gray off our
tickets under Mike Smith. TIZ WEST (Gone West), the second of two Mandella
entrants, won the Cinema H. (G3) over this sod last summer but may be
overmatched in this one.