O'Neill 'bummed' by Lava Man's effort in San Gabriel

Lava Man's rear hooves were spattered in blood from the incident.

"He just got tired," O'Neill said. "That's what (jockey) Tyler (Baze) commented on. I thought

I had him more fit than that, but it's hard to simulate a mile and an eighth

turf race in the mornings.

"When he asked him to kick on, he said he gave him something, but he just

couldn't sustain it.

"I'm bummed, yeah. I was very eager to see him run today because he had been

training like the Lava Man of old, and again, he really never had much of a

layoff during the whole three-year campaign that we had him on, so this was kind

of a new thing to see.

"He definitely disappointed me in his results, but he really made me real

happy, the fact that he got back here and I thought he looked great striding

out. Tyler, the last eighth of a mile just kind of took care of him and didn't

get after him once he knew he wasn't going to be in the top five, so he just

wrapped up on him.

"We'll talk with the boys (owners STD Racing Stable and Jason Wood) and Dr.

Doug Herthel and see how he comes out of it and just put our heads together and

see what's the right thing for Lava Man."

Herthel, the founder of Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center in Los Olivos,

California, is the veterinarian who treated Lava Man. Earlier Sunday, Herthel

had recounted in an HRTV interview how Lava Man had previously had scar tissue that

caused

arthritis and bone chips in his ankle. The chips were removed, and the

underlying problem was treated with stem cell therapy, which regenerated the

cartilage.

Lava Man, famously claimed by O'Neill for $50,000 in 2004, progressed into a

dominating force in the ensuing years. The winner of three straight runnings of

the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) (2005-07), the dark bay also landed back-to-back

renewals of the Santa Anita H. (G1) (2006-07), as well as the 2006 Pacific

Classic (G1), Charles Whittingham Memorial H. (G1), Goodwood H. (G2) and

Sunshine Millions Classic S. Lava Man's resume also includes victories in the

Californian S. (G2), Sunshine Millions Turf S., Khaled S. and Derby Trial S. He

placed in eight other stakes, and set two track records at Hollywood.

Lava Man's career mark stands at 47-17-8-5, $5,268,706.