Santa Anita: Enterprising's nose hits wire first in Pasadena

ARCADIA, Calif.- Enterprising won his second minor stakes on turf in Saturday’s $80,500 Pasadena Stakes, a race that trainer Tom Proctor said the colt was fortunate to win.

Enterprising ($4.80) raced in traffic on the turn and was fully extended in the final strides to beat Quotient, a gelding recently purchased out of Proctor’s stable.

“I thought the horse on the outside had him at the 70-yard mark,” Proctor said.

Ridden by Gary Stevens, Enterprising ran a mile on turf in 1:33.75. Stevens had Enterprising in midpack in the field of nine and was in tight quarters on the turn. Enterprising recovered to rally three-wide in the stretch, and won by a nose over Quotient.

Quotient was purchased privately by Hronis Racing and transferred to trainer John Sadler after winning a maiden race on turf on Feb. 15. The Pasadena Stakes was the stakes debut for Quotient.

Home Run Kitten, fifth in the Grade 2 Robert Lewis Stakes on Feb. 8, closed well to finish third, a half-length behind Quotient.

Diamond Bachelor, a stakes winner on turf last September who was fourth in the Lewis, finished fourth in the Pasadena, followed by Craftsman, Royal Banker, Horse Laugh, Puppy Manners, and No Ma’am.

Enterprising won the minor Eddie Logan Stakes on turf here on Dec. 28, and made his next two starts at Golden Gate Fields on the Tapeta synthetic surface, finishing second in the California Derby on Jan. 18 and third in the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby on Feb. 15.

Owned by breeder Glen Hill Farm, Enterprising has won 3 of 6 starts and $166,060. By Elusive Quality, Enterprising beat maidens on turf in his second start at Hollywood Park last November.

Proctor said after the Pasadena Stakes that Enterprising could race on dirt this spring, but did not mention a race goal.

“I could see him running on dirt sometime in the future,” he said.