Golden Gate Fields: Exit Stage Left makes California Derby his third straight win

ALBANY, Calif. -- Exit Stage Left remained undefeated as he won his third straight Golden Gate Fields stakes race, winning the $100,315 California Derby by one-half length over favored Enterprising on Saturday.

Exit Stage Left, a Noonmark colt owned by Mark DeDomenico and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, won the six-furlong Golden Nugget in his debut and the one-mile Gold Rush in his second start.

Expected to sit behind Harbaugh, a hunch play for fans of the San Francisco 49ers and coach Jim Harbaugh, Exit Stage Left ($7.20) won the 1 1/16-mile race on the front end while setting brisk fractions over the Tapeta surface and responding gamely in the lane. Final time was 1:44.07.

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

Both Harbaugh and Exit Stage Left broke nicely.

Winning jockey Russell Baze planned for a stalking trip but said, "My horse rose to the challenge" and went with Harbaugh early.

Baze steadied his mount slightly on the first turn but Exit Stage Left was ahead by a head through a 23.86-second opening quarter. Baze let Exit Stage Left go on to open a slim lead down the backstretch.

"Once he got in front, he relaxed," said Baze.

Juan Hernandez, Harbaugh's jockey, was a little surprised to see Baze put his mount on the lead, although he wound up in a perfect position outside him. However the early pace took its toll on Harbaugh, and Hernandez said his colt didn't respond when asked to try to keep up with the winner at the three-eighths pole.

Enterprising, who won the Eddie Logan on the turf at Santa Anita in his last start, was sitting in good position and seemed primed for a big stretch run. He responded well for jockey Aaron Gryder but wasn't good enough.

"At the top of the stretch, I thought we had a chance," said Gryder. "Both colts were tough, but this is the time of year when these horses grow, mature, and get stronger."

Baze was impressed by Exit Stage Left's finish.

"My only question was if he'd used too much in the first quarter," said Baze. "He kicked pretty good when I asked him. When that other horse [Enterprising] came up to him, he laid his body down even harder."

Exit Stage Left earned $60,000 to increase his career earnings to $135,350.