Santa Anita notes: Gutierrez, O'Neill still trying to teach He's Had Enough to pay attention

Tom Keyser

Mario Gutierrez has been trying to teach He's Had Enough to give 100 percent in his workouts.

ARCADIA, Calif. – He’s Had Enough, the 3-year-old colt who was second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita last November, has a racing record that is much more appealing than his workout style.

Friday at Santa Anita, just before the first race on a rainy day, He’s Had Enough worked in company with his 4-year-old stablemate Handsome Mike in preparation for the $200,000 Robert Lewis Stakes over 1 1/16 miles this Saturday.

Through the six-furlong workout, He’s Had Enough was under frequent urging from jockey Mario Gutierrez, eventually finishing slightly in front of Handsome Mike in 1:11. Keeping He’s Had Enough’s mind on his workouts is nothing new, trainer Doug O’Neill said.

“He doesn’t apply himself every day,” O’Neill said. “He’s had some real mediocre works where he couldn’t blow out a match.”

In Friday’s workout, over a wet-fast track, Gutierrez thought He’s Had Enough “was coming off the bridle,” O’Neill said. “Mario is trying to get between his ears that he’s got to apply himself.”

Owned by Paul and Zillah Reddam, He’s Had Enough represents the best chance for a repeat Kentucky Derby win by the owner, trainer, and jockey who succeeded with I’ll Have Another in 2012. A colt by Tapit, He’s Had Enough has 1 win in 5 starts, a maiden race at Del Mar in July.

In the BC Juvenile, He’s Had Enough finished a head behind Shanghai Bobby after battling with the eventual winner through the final furlong. In the $750,000 CashCall Futurity at Betfair Hollywood Park in December, He’s Had Enough finished a disappointing fifth, more than nine lengths behind the highly-regarded winner, Violence.

“I let him do his own thing going into the CashCall, and it wasn’t enough,” O’Neill said.

“We’ve taken a different approach. We’re making him run up and down the court. Mario thinks he has him figured out. You never know with horses like that.”

The Grade 2 Lewis Stakes is a key prep for the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 6. The Lewis is expected to include Flashback, an impressive maiden race winner over seven furlongs in his only start at Hollywood Park last month.

Saturday’s program includes two other graded stakes – the $200,000 Strub Stakes for 4-year-olds over 1 1/8 miles, and the $150,000 Arcadia Stakes over a mile on turf.

The Strub Stakes will include the first three finishers of the Grade 2 San Fernando Stakes on Jan. 12 – Fed Biz, Tritap and Guilt Trip – and Handsome Mike, who was fifth.

The Arcadia Stakes is led by Silentio, who won the Grade 2 Sir Beaufort Stakes for 3-year-olds over a mile on turf on Dec. 26, and Strong Suit, a 5-year-old who won four group stakes in England in 2010 and 2011 and makes his U.S. debut for trainer Simon Callaghan.

Shumoos wins off long layoff

Shumoos, second in the 2011 BC Juvenile Sprint at Churchill Downs, returned from a layoff of nearly 15 months to win an allowance race over six furlongs on a wet-fast track Friday.

The victory is expected to continue the racing career of Shumoos. Owner Fawzi Nass had planned to breed Shumoos to Medaglia d’Oro this spring, but is likely to postpone those plans to 2014, trainer Ben Cecil said.

Shumoos ($8.60) led throughout the allowance race, winning by 2 1/2 lengths over Quizzical in 1:09.52.

The disappointment in the field was Ismene, who had won her first three starts, but had not started in 13 months. Sent off at 4-5, she was never a factor and finished fifth.

“She was slipping the whole way around there,” trainer Bill Spawr said.

Cecil had his best day in months on Friday, winning with 2 of 3 starters.