Gryder among reasons not to miss Saturday's Derby

This Saturday marks the 31st El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields, one of the main prep races for Triple Crown hopefuls. As if you needed reasons to go watch the ponies, here's five more not to miss this weekend's event. RELATED: Hopes rise for locals at El Camino Real Derby5. Its just a good time: Ive loved this sport from the first time I saw it in person. If you have ever taken a wild guess and won a race or do what many of us do and sit and analyze a form and then pick a winner, you know exactly what I mean. Throw in some big name Bay Area sports stars that will be there, the roar of the crowd, some of the top horse talent in the country, and you have the makings of a pretty fun day.
4. Girl Power: Rachel Alexandra was all the rage in 2009 when the filly took down the big boys at the Preakness. This race brings in Lady of Fifty, ridden by Hall of Famer Russell Baze (more on him later). Shes a speed horse and will try to jump out to the lead and stay there. Shes never gone this far, but shes won four of five career races, so dont count her out.3. Hold em off Hollendorfer?: Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer is the undisputed man at GGF, and has been for a long time. For this race, two of the best around will show up to ruin the party. Graham Motion won the Kentucky Derby last year with Animal Kingdom and Steve Asmussen has led the country in wins five different years and trained the aforementioned Rachel Alexandra. Asmussen also came to town last year and took this title. Can Jerry pick up win No. 6 at this derby?2. Baze vs The Best-Russell: Baze has to be the most over-looked great athlete in this area and I cant even think of a close second. He has the most wins of any jockey in the world -- thats right -- the world. He has won this race six of the last seven years. This year, more big name challengers come to his track to try and knock him off. Julien Leparoux is one of the best and brightest, Corey Nakatani is a grizzled veteran, and Alan Garcia pulled off a shocker to win the Belmont a few years back. Even Aaron Gryder who now calls GGF home is looking to take down Baze. Can the 53-year-old Hall of Famer hold them off? Tune in to find out.1. History could be calling: It would have been nice to have seen Michael Jordan play in high school or Tim Lincecum at Washington. You have a chance here; its a long road but there is a chance you may see the next Triple Crown winner. Thats a small chance, but Charismatic was in this race in 1999 and went on to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness and was named the Horse of the Year. In June, if all the sports world is abuzz about the chances of a Triple Crown winner and they started in this race. Wouldnt it be cool to say you saw him (or her) from the very start?See you at Golden Gate Fields for the El Camino Real Derby Saturday.Lee Siegel is the assistant news director at Comcast SportsNet Bay Area.