Golden Gate Fields: California Derby brings new foes for Exit Stage Left

With the unbeaten Exit Stage Left and Eddie Logan Stakes winner Enterprising among a field of eight, Saturday’s $100,000 California Derby at Golden Gate Fields is a legitimate stepping-stone to bigger stakes races for 3-year-olds. The race is at 1 1/16 miles on the Tapeta main track.

In his only two starts, Exit Stage Left has won the Golden Nugget and the Gold Rush, both at Golden Gate. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer admits expectations have grown for Exit Stage Left.

“We hope he’ll develop into a really good horse,” Hollendorfer said.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

Hollendorfer also entered Puppy Manners in the California Derby and is hoping both his horses are on an upward trend.

“These horses are in the early stages of their careers,” he said. “We’re hoping for improvement. I imagine the other guys are feeling the same way about their horses.”

Exit Stage Left, a son of Noonmark who was a $100,000 Barretts purchase in March, is progressing well, Hollendorfer said. He and jockey Russell Baze have been working to settle the colt down and get him to respond to the rider.

“He mostly does what Russell wants,” Hollendorfer said.

Puppy Manners, an $85,000 Keeneland yearling purchase by Kitten’s Joy, has been slower to develop, graduating in his sixth race and coming back to win an allowance race in his next start, both at Golden Gate.

“We thought both had talent when we bought them,” Hollendorfer said. “It’s taken Puppy Manners a little longer to learn. The light goes on differently for each horse.”

Enterprising has scored two straight turf victories and makes his synthetic-track debut in the California Derby. Trained by Tom Proctor for Glen Hill Farm, Enterprising won a maiden race in November at Hollywood Park in his second start, then defeated Saturday rival Royal Banker by three-quarters of a length in the Eddie Logan on Dec. 28 at Santa Anita.

British import Royal Banker finished third in the Grade 3 Generous and then second to Enterprising in the Eddie Logan in his two U.S. starts.

Argyle Cut comes off a second to Exit Stage Left in the Dec. 7 Gold Rush.

“The horse is in pretty good shape,” said trainer Billy Morey of Argyle Cut, a $30,000 purchase at Ocala in April. “We’ve just tried to keep him sharp and fit in the six weeks since his last race, and he’s trained well.”

Morey hopes the “home-court advantage” will help his colt, who finished well in the Gold Rush.

“Anything can happen,” Morey said. “It depends on the trip.”

Also in the field are Infosec, Morally Bankrupt, and Harbaugh, who could be a hunch play for 49ers fans.