Right Hand Man faces familiar rivals in Golden Nugget Stakes

Golden Gate Fields begins it stakes series leading to the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby next February with Saturday’s $50,000-added Golden Nugget.

While only five entered the six-furlong race for 2-year-olds, four have stakes experience and three have finished among the top three in stakes. The fifth entrant, Uncle Grumpy, has a three-race winning streak.

The Jeff Bonde-trained Right Hand Man won the Cavonnier Juvenile in his lone Northern California start and ran second in the Speakeasy on Oct. 16 at Santa Anita, his first start in two months.

He’ll be meeting some old friends – Aqua Frio, whom he defeated when both made their debuts and then in the Cavonnier, and Silver Assault, who finished ahead of Right Hand Man in the Santa Anita Juvenile and behind him in the Speakeasy.

Bonde brought Right Hand Man here after the runner-up effort over dirt in the Speakeasy and has given him a pair of maintenance drills over the Tapeta main track.

“It’s always good to have a work over the Tapeta before you run on it,” he said.

That will be one advantage he has over Silver Assault, who has stayed at Santa Anita since the Speakeasy. The other three in the Golden Nugget each has won over the local track.

Aqua Frio graduated over the turf course here in September and won an optional-claiming sprint on the Tapeta here Oct. 22.

“He shows up and runs,” trainer Blaine Wright said. “His future may be on grass, but he’s in really good shape. We’re trying to take one step at a time.”

Golden Nugget

Key Contenders

Right Hand Man, by Street Boss

Last 3 Beyers: 78-65-64

◗ Has improved his Beyer in each start, the last three in stakes.

◗ Dueled for the early lead in the Speakeasy and couldn’t match the winner, California Diamond, but finished 2 1/2 lengths ahead of third-place finisher Silver Assault.

Aqua Frio, by Uncle Mo

Last 3 Beyers: 69-64-61

◗ He has twice finished second in stakes.

◗ Finished second to Right Hand Man in the Cavonnier Juvenile and a maiden race.

◗ He usually comes from two or three lengths off the pace in sprints.

Silver Assault, by Maclean’s Music

Last 3 Beyers: 72-69-71

◗ He adds blinkers for this race, and his trainer, Jerry Hollendorfer, wins at a 17 percent rate with horses wearing blinkers for the first time.