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Retirement looms as option for Lava Man

Lava Man looked great but ran poorly in the Eddie Read, posting his sixth straight loss (Benoit Photo) Seven-time Grade 1 winner and $5.2 million earner LAVA MAN (Slew City Slew), who faded to finish last of six in Sunday's Eddie Read H. (G1) at Del Mar, may be staring retirement in the face. The seven-year-old's owners, STD Stable and Jason Wood, are expected to make a decision soon about his future. "Nothing's official, but I'm sure we'll huddle up and make a decision before too long on what to do," Steve Kenley of STD said Monday. "It's nothing we feel we have to do in a day or two, but we'll huddle up and decide to do what's best for the horse." Lava Man has not won since June 2007, when he scored an historic third straight victory in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1). The popular California-bred appeared to be rounding into top form two starts back in the Charles Whittingham Memorial H. (G1), battling on tenaciously to finish a close third, but he did not show the same fight in the Eddie Read.

"We were really confident yesterday because he looked so good in the paddock and he had been training really well since the Whittingham," Kenley said of his chances in the Eddie Read. "And he ran great in the Whittingham. With that, we thought we could do better yesterday. We thought he'd be cruising along on the lead and things would go our way."

Lava Man ranks as one of the most profitable claims of all time. Claimed for $50,000 at Del Mar in 2004, the Doug O'Neill charge went on to become a star in the handicap division. In addition to his three Hollywood Gold Cups, the dark bay gelding captured consecutive runnings of the Santa Anita H. (G1). Lava Man's other major tallies include the Pacific Classic (G1), Whittingham, Goodwood H. (G2), Californian S. (G2), Sunshine Millions Classic and Sunshine Millions Turf. His record reads 46-17-8-5, $5,268,706.

"We have nothing but appreciation for this horse," Kenley said. "It's been quite a ride for four years. He's been in the spotlight and he's put us on the map."

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