Enterprising Scores in Fair Grounds Handicap

Maxis Stable's Enterprising stalked favorite Oscar Nominated and gained an advantage in the deep stretch to win the $125,000 Fair Grounds Handicap (G3T) Feb. 25 by three-quarters of a length to give trainer Mike Maker the exacta for the race. 

In the about 1 1/8-mile test over the firm turf at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, the 6-year-old gelded son of Elusive Quality  , with jockey Julien Leparoux aboard, raced off the rail and closely behind the pacesetter Oscar Nominated, who stayed to the inside. After Oscar Nominated galloped through six furlongs virtually unthreatened with fractions of :23.98, :49.83, and 1:13.84, Enterprising and One Mean Man began to close the gap around the second turn. 

As the seven-horse field entered the stretch, it was Enterprising and Oscar Nominated all out in a stretch duel to the wire, as One Mean Man gained ground in the middle of the track. In the final strides, Enterprising shook free of Oscar Nominated and hit the finish line in front. The final time was 1:48.80. 

One Mean Man was another length back in third, a head in front of a fast-closing Bullards Alley. Granny's Kitten—the third Maker horse in the field and second betting choice—finished fifth, followed by Golden Soul and Blame Angel to round out the field. 

"My horse was game and he fought all the way," Leparoux said. "(Maker) told me to get him into the race, because he can be a bit lazy. There was a slow half, but I got him into the race. At the quarter-pole, I tried to get a jump on him. From there it was straight on home."

Sent off as the third choice, Enterprising returned $8, $3.80, and $4.40 across the board. Oscar Nominated paid $3 and $3, while One Mean Man was worth $7. 

"(Enterprising is) a very attractive horse and was another turf horse who looked like he would appreciate more ground," Maker said. "He's a Florida-bred and they have a lot of nice Florida-bred stakes. We will most likely send him to a state-bred stakes at Tampa (Bay Downs), but we'll discuss it with the owner. I thought Oscar Nominated ran really well. Granny's Kitten was kind of puzzling to me, but I'm happy overall with the race."

Bred in Florida by Glen Hill Farm, Enterprising is out of the A.P. Indy mare Indy Blaze. The bay gelding boasts a record of 8-4-5 from 28 starts and earnings of $594,040. The Fair Grounds Handicap was his second graded stakes victory. In 2014 he won the La Jolla Handicap (G3T) at Del Mar. 

Enterprising entered Saturday's race with a hard-fought loss by a neck in the Jan. 21 Sunshine Millions Turf Stakes at Gulfstream Park and a third-place effort in the Prairie Bayou Stakes at Turfway Park Dec. 17, both at 1 1/16 miles.