C’Mon Man holds Beyer edge

Saturday’s $50,000-added Golden Nugget at Golden Gate Fields drew only five entrants, but the six-furlong stakes for 2-year-olds looks like a wideopen affair.

Speedster Stanford Bay, favored in four of his five starts and an exacta finisher in all four starts here, drew the outside post. That could benefit him, but Dr Pescado, who won his debut by 7 1/4 lengths, seems capable of challenging him early. Highland Ghost, who won his maiden at Pleasanton in wire-to-wire style, has flashed speed as well.

C’Mon Man, winner of two straight and owner of highest Beyer in the field by 10 points, prefers a stalking role and could get a dream trip.

The fifth runner, Northvale Road, makes his first start since running fourth and last in a Del Mar stakes three months ago and has been gelded since that race.

While the race strategy seems clear, it still has a wide-open quality with young talented runners capable of big improvement.

Stanford Bay, coming off a strong effort while winning a starter allowance race at 1-2, has set the pace in all five starts, including the Everett Nevin at Pleasanton when he dueled head and head for the opening half-mile before fading.

Equipment changes may have helped Stanford Bay.

“Two races back, we never got to let the horse run,” said trainer Jonathan Wong, who says the Stanford colt had been trying to get out in his races.

“We changed his bridle and blinkers, and that settled him down,” said Wong who saw Stanford Bay record a careerhigh Beyer of 58 in winning his last start.

C’Mon Man underwent the ultimate equipment change after beating only one rival in his career debut at Del Mar. He was unruly in the post parade, and trainer Bill McLean, who would try to walk him around shed row, said he was difficult to handle.

It wasn’t until one the Toursit gelding’s co-owners also had trouble trying to walk C’Mon Man that the ownership group agreed to geld him in early August. He’s 2 for 2 since then, showing marked improvement in each start.

“He’s a decent colt. I always liked him,” said McLean.

His budding star has been more focused on racing since being gelded and has run professionally, sitting in a stalking position before pulling clear in the stretch.

Trainer Felix Rondan has used time to try to improve Dr Pescado. The Fullbridled colt was impressive in his debut but tired badly when losing to C’Mon Man in his second start.

“He’s been working nicely,” said Rondan. He expects the colt, whose three older siblings are winners, to hold on better Saturday.