Ventura just has too much class in Santa Monica

With Indian Blessing a no-go in Saturday's $300,000 Santa Monica Handicap for older fillies and mares, Ventura looks like she's got too much class for this field that will travel 7 furlongs on Santa Anita's synthetic Pro-Ride surface.

The 5-year-old Chester House mare beat Eclipse Award-winning female sprinter Indian Blessing by four lengths last October in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, and there are no Indian Blessings in this field. Not even close.

Ventura has won four of seven in the U.S. since debuting in this country with a two-length allowance victory at Santa Anita last March 6. She hasn't been off the board in this country and jockey Garrett Gomez, who's ridden Ventura in all of her U.S. races, thinks she could be undefeated here with a little more racing luck. Trainer Bobby Frankel says she doesn't have to run as well as she did on Breeders' Cup Day to beat this bunch.

A look back at her scintillating Breeders' Cup victory: