Enterprising dazzles in La Jolla Handicap

DEL MAR, Calif. – Enterprising is on pace to provide a dazzling show on turf about every three weeks at Del Mar this summer.

After winning the Oceanside Stakes on the July 17 opening-day program, Enterprising was even more impressive in Saturday’s $150,000 La Jolla Handicap for 3-year-olds over 1 1/16 miles, displaying an explosive rally in early stretch.

Fifth in a field of six on the turn, Enterprising ($5) zoomed to the front in the final sixteenth under jockey Mike Smith, winning by 1 1/4 lengths over 15-1 I’ll Wrap It Up. Enterprising was timed in 1:41.31.

“He’s so smooth and relaxed and was waiting on me to call on him,” Smith said. “He’s got such a turn of foot. There were seams, and I had to ask for him to reach those seams. You’ve got to explode through there.”

The La Jolla was the first stakes run on Del Mar’s turf course since racing on the surface was interrupted following a series of injuries from July 17-31. In the first week of August, the course underwent extensive watering and aeration to make conditions more forgiving.

Enterprising’s win is likely to lead to a start Aug. 31 in the $300,000 Del Mar Derby. The colt is owned by breeder Glen Hill Farm and trained by Tom Proctor.

In the La Jolla, Smith had Enterprising in fifth on the backstretch, well behind the modest pace of 23.92 seconds and 48.13 set by Schoolofhardrocks. Schoolofhardrocks, the 2-1 second choice, led by 2 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining but could not hold off Enterprising.

I’ll Wrap It Up finished a half-length in front of Sammy Mandeville, who was followed by Schoolofhardrocks, Tonito M., and Argyle Cut. The stretch run frustrated jockey Martin Garcia, who expected a stronger finish by Schoolofhardrocks.

“He didn’t try,” Garcia said. “The horse is much better than what he showed.”

Enterprising, by Elusive Quality, has won 5 of 9 starts and earned $334,650.

Smith said the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap was a better performance than Enterprising’s win in the one-mile Oceanside Stakes. The result left him anxious for the Del Mar Derby, which is run over 1 1/8 miles on turf.

“I think this was a better race because he went farther,” Smith said. “I asked him from the eighth pole to the sixteenth pole, and he was impressive. It should set him up for down the road.”