Arcadia, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Saturday's $250,000 California Cup Derby at Santa Anita has become an important race for west coast Kentucky Derby hopefuls after California Chrome used it to begin his championship 2014 campaign.

This year's 1 1/16-mile edition has drawn a field of eight with Acceptance getting the nod as the 4-5 morning line favorite. Acceptance, owned by E. W. and Judy Johnston and Robert Riggio, will start from post 2 with Elvis Trujillo again riding.

Acceptance comes into the Cal Cup Derby off a victory in the King Glorious Stakes on Dec. 14, the same stakes that California Chrome won to propel him into his 3-year-old season. The 2013 King Glorious was the final stakes ever run at Hollywood Park and is now conducted at Los Alamitos.

"We've liked this horse from Day One," said former jockey Kenny Black, assistant to trainer Don Warren, "but we would have never expected him to do what he did in his first couple of outs (winning his debut by 13 1/4 lengths), then taking his next start (a 1 1/4-length triumph in the Golden State Juvenile at seven furlongs in 1:21.60 at Santa Anita on Nov. 1). He followed that with a victory in the King Glorious.

"He's doing well and he's worked well. He looks like a million dollars right now. He looks to be doing as good as he can be doing, I guess. I've been helping Don in the mornings off and on for 20, 30 years. We had a champion with Acclimation, but this horse, Acceptance, is pretty close. This is a nice horse."

Acceptance has banked $257,600, making him the leading money earner in the field.

Breaking from the rail post will be 5-2 second pick Tough Sunday with Tyler Baze in the saddle. The 3-year-old is owned by his breeder Nick Alexander and trained by Steve Miyadi.

Tough Sunday won for the first time going seven furlongs on Dec. 28 at Santa Anita in his third career start. With a win, a second and a third he has earned $48,720.

Pulmarack, second to Acceptance in the King Glorious, is the 9-2 third choice and will start from post 7 with Eclipse Award winner Drayden Van Dyke in the saddle. The colt is owned by Mr. and Mrs. Larry D. Williams with Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer training.

Pulmarack broke his maiden his third time out at Santa Anita on Oct. 17 and eight weeks later dropped a three-length decision in the King Glorious. He has earned $74,100.

The complete field for the Cal Cup Derby in post position order: Tough Sunday, Tyler Baze, 5-2; Acceptance, Elvis Trujillo, 4-5; Mischief Clem, Kent Desormeaux, 6-1; Neveradoubt, Joe Talamo, 30-1; Kluszewski, Rafael Bejarano, 8-1; Chanito, Brandon Boulanger, 50-1; Pulmarack, Drayden Van Dyke, 9-2 and Avati Bello, Mike Smith, 20-1

The Cal Cup Derby has an approximate post time Saturday of 5:30 p.m. ET.