|
|
Lava Man makes history in Pacific Classic
"I was comfortable up there galloping next to that gray (Preachinatthebar)," Nakatani explained. "(Lava Man) just felt real good under me. In a perfect world I would have been outside, but, as we know, there ain't no perfect worlds and it didn't matter with my horse. "When I hit the button at the three-eighths, I wanted him to kick away from them. I wanted him to put some distance between us and the field. And he did that. This horse has gears; so many gears. What a horse. He's just about unbelievable." Lava Man was good for $4, $3.60 and $3.20 to his many supporters while beginning the $33 exacta ($1). Good Reward (Storm Cat) was content to race in midpack during the early running, before moving up along the rail into the stretch. Briefly challenged by Super Frolic (Pine Bluff) late, the bay five-year-old held second by a half-length to pay $11.60 and $7 at 18-1. Super Frolic sparred with Magnum (Arg) (El Compinche) in the early going while just behind Lava Man and Preachinatthebar, but put that rival away and returned $5.60 for taking third at 9-1 while ending the $207.60 trifecta ($1). The hard-knocking Perfect Drift (Dynaformer), who ran second in the previous two editions of this race, rounded out the $746 superfecta ($1) (2-8-7-6). It was another two lengths back to Giacomo (Holy Bull), followed by Top This and That (Old Topper), Magnum and Preachinatthebar. Lava Man came to his current owners, STD Racing Stable and Jason Wood, as a $50,000 claim in August of 2004, appropriately enough, during the Del Mar meet. He paid immediate dividends under the tutelage of trainer Doug O'Neill, taking the Derby Trial S. at Fairplex by 6 1/4 lengths, but wouldn't visit the winner's circle again until an allowance/optional claiming test at Hollywood Park in May of 2005. Seeming to find new life, Lava Man went on to win in the 2005 Californian S. (G2) and Hollywood Gold Cup H. before running third by just three parts of a length in the Pacific Classic. He was well beaten in his final two starts last year, but came back with a full head of steam in late January. Starting off the year right, Lava Man captured the Sunshine Millions Classic by 2 1/4 lengths, and then added scores in the Santa Anita H., Khaled S., Charles Whittingham Memorial H. (G1) and Hollywood Gold Cup. The Khaled and Charles Whittingham both were run over the turf, but that didn't deter the gelding, who has now accumulated $3,504,706 in lifetime earnings to go along with his 33-13-7-3 career mark. Bred in California by Lonnie Arterburn, Eve Kuhlmann & Kim Kuhlmann, Lava Man is out of the winning Li'l Ms. Leonard (Nostalgia's Star), who has a yearling colt named Li'l Brite Star (High Brite).
 Send this article to a friend
|
|
