Glen Hill Farm’s Enterprising, who rallied from last place to win the Oceanside Stakes on opening day of the Del Mar meeting, July 17, will pack highweight of 122 pounds Saturday versus five rival three-year-olds in the 74th running of the Grade III $150,000 La Jolla Handicap.
Hall of Famer Mike Smith again has the call from trainer Tom Proctor aboard Enterprising, a classy and consistent son of Elusive Quality who forged to the front in the final strides of the Oceanside to win by a neck over Argyle Cut, his fourth win in eight starts. The latter will try Enterprising Saturday with Corey Nakatani up again.
Others in the line-up are Sammy Mandeville (Rafael Bejarano), fourth in the Oceanside; Schoolofhardrocks (Martin Garcia), fourth as the 13-10 favorite in the American Derby at Arlington Park; Tonito M. (Victor Espinoza), third to unbeaten Shared Belief in the Los Alamitos Derby, and I’ll Wrap It Up (Elvis Trujillo), fifth in an optional claiming race at Del Mar.
The mile and one-sixteenth La Jolla Handicap, carded at a mile and one-sixteenth over the infield Jimmy Durante Turf Course, is the final steppingstone to the Grade II $300,000 Del Mar Derby at nine furlongs Sunday, August 31.
Post time for the first race Saturday is 2 p.m., with the La Jolla Handicap slotted as the fifth race.