Exit Stage Left tops California Derby field

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Berkeley, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer will saddle two of the eight 3-year-olds entered for Saturday's $100,000 California Derby at Golden Gate Fields. The 1 1/16-mile stakes is the local prep for the $200,000 El Camino Real Derby on Feb. 15.

Exit Stage Left and Puppy Manners, both co-owned by Hollendorfer, will start from posts 2 and 7, respectively. Hall of Fame jockey Russell Baze will be aboard Exit Stage Left and Puppy Manners will have the services of Frank Alvarado.

Exit Stage Left comes into the race with consecutive stakes wins to begin his career. The chestnut colt won the Golden Nugget at the track in his first start as the even-money favorite on Nov. 9 and captured the Gold Rush Stakes four weeks later as the 3-5 top pick. He has earnings of $75,350.

Puppy Manners is also working on a two-race win streak, but will be making his eighth career start, all at Golden Gate, in the California Derby. The colt broke his maiden in start number six and followed by winning an allowance optional claiming event on Dec. 29. The colt has banked $45,540.

Leaving from the inside post will be stakes winning colt Enterprising. Trained by Tom Proctor for Glen Hill Farm, Enterprising will have Aaron Gryder in the saddle.

The colt won the Eddie Logan Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 28 on the grass. After finishing seventh in his debut effort, Enterprising won his maiden over Hollywood Park's turf course with Gary Stevens riding. The 3-year-old comes into Saturday's race with $74,350.

Here is the Cal Derby field from the rail out: Enterprising, Aaron Gryder; Exit Stage Left, Russell Baze; Morally Bankrupt, Leslie Mawing; Harbaugh, Juan Hernandez; Infosec, Isaias Enriquez; Argyle Cut, Dennis Carr; Puppy Manners, Frank Alvarado and Royal Banker, Kevin Krigger.

The Cal Derby has a post-time of approximately 6:45 p.m. (ET).