Lava Man
Encyclopedia
Lava Man is a dark bay thoroughbred
gelding
by Slew City Slew (Seattle Slew
) out of L'il Ms. Leonard (Nostalgia's Star). He who rose from the lowest levels of race horse claiming race
s to become regarded by many racing fans and members of the racing media as a legend in his own time. Born at Popular Meadows Ranch near Sanger, California
, he was trained by Doug O'Neill, who bought him as a claimer for the STD Racing Stable (the Kenly family) and their partner, Jason Wood. He was bred by Lonnie Arterburn, Eve Kuhlmann, and Kim Kuhlmann in California. A jockey who regularly rides Lava Man, Corey Nakatani
, has said of him, "This horse has gears, so many gears. What a horse. He's just about unbelievable."
Eve Kuhlmann, who competes in triathlon
s, named the horse Lava Man for a triathlon on the Big Island in Hawaii
.
of 27. The Fair Circuit is the lowest level of thoroughbred competition in California thoroughbred racing. His then breeder/trainer, former jockey Lonnie Arterburn (who had claimed Lava Man's dam, L'il Ms. Leonard), said he was a big, long-striding horse that never got tired. "But he was so laid back he could be a pony. He didn't show anything in the mornings. I took him out to Stockton, California
to get him a race, make him eligible for starter allowances and not get him claimed away." In the words of Daily Racing Form
columnist Dick Jerardi, "Lava Man did not start his career on the other side of the tracks. He started his career in a place [Stockton] where there are no tracks." He lost his next two races. Then Arterburn tried him on the grass. The result was dramatic. He began to show what he was made of, winning or placing in allowance races at Golden Gate Fields
. And then Artherburn entered him into a $62,500 claiming race at Del Mar Racetrack
because, as he said, "We had no other place to run him so we took him south. It was the usual Northern California problem." He came in a poor sixth, so in his next race, Arterburn dropped him down a notch. It was then he was claimed by Doug O'Neill, looking for a useful California-bred. It was a blow for Arterburn, but at least he retains some of his horse. California-breds winning open races in the state generate breeders' rewards worth approximately 15 percent of the purse.
in the Grade 1
Malibu Stakes
. Doing so well against the very good Rock Hard Ten in a Grade 1 made O'Neill dream of doing more.
In 2005, Lava Man lost his first three starts. O'Neill decided to make an equipment change and fitted Lava Man with blinkers. He responded by winning a May optional claiming race where he could have been purchased for $100,000 if his connections had chosen to make him eligible for being claimed. Then he took the Grade 2 Californian Stakes
in June for his first graded stakes victory. In his next race, the $750,000 Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup
in July 2005, Lava Man turned in his breakthrough performance, winning by a stakes record margin of victory of over 8 lengths and earning his career-high Beyer Speed Figure
of 120 while carrying the highweight in the race. In August, he was a game third in the Pacific Classic Stakes
, coming out of race so exhausted he had to be vanned off. "He gave us such a scare," said O'Neill. "We thought he broke down. You wanted to hug the horse even more. He gave everything he had. People don't do that and horses don't do that."
But then Lvaa Man ran badly in his next two races. He was sent east for the Jockey Club Gold Cup
but only managed seventh. In late November, he went to Japan
for the Japan Cup Dirt
. There, he finished eleventh, and was found to have an abscess in his left front foot.
restricted to California- and Florida-bred horses, was an easy score, earning Lava Man a modest Beyer Speed Figure
of 99. Critics doubted that, once matched against all comers, he could be competitive. In his next race, the $1,000,000 Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap
, Lava Man faced favorite High Limit, 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo
, and 2004 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Champion Wilko. He scored a 3/4 length victory over the overlooked, high-quality horse Magnum, who was carrying 7 fewer pounds than Lava Man. Lava Man earned a Beyer Speed Figure
of 113 for his effort. Because of his turf ability and pedigree, O'Neill next entered him in the restricted Khaled Stakes
at Hollywood Park Racetrack. Lava Man won easily and set a new track record for 1 1/8 miles while earning a Beyer Speed Figure
of 106. Keeping him on the turf, O'Neill followed up the Khaled victory by entering the horse in the Grade 1 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap
(formerly Turf Invitational Handicap) at Hollywood Park Racetrack. Lava Man rolled to a comfortable victory in the 1 1/4 mile Whittingham, earning a Beyer Speed Figure
of 107. This win made him the first horse since Eclipse Award winner Vanlandingham in 1985 to win a Grade 1 Turf and Dirt race in the same year.
Next up for Lava Man was an attempt to repeat in the Hollywood Gold Cup
. Only the legendary California-bred and Hall of Famer Native Diver had ever repeated in the Gold Cup in 1965-66-67. Lava Man stumbled badly at the start of the race and had to ride more off the pace than he generally preferred. Nevertheless, he took the lead in mid-stretch and held off by a short nose the gallant run of longshot Ace Blue, who was carrying 10 pounds less than Lava Man, to achieve his Gold Cup repeat. Lava Man earned a 109 Beyer Speed Figure
for his win. He also had the distinction of winning the Gold Cup by the biggest and smallest margins in race history.
Lava Man became the first horse since Triple Crown Winner Affirmed
in 1979 to win the Santa Anita Handicap
and Hollywood Gold Cup
in the same year. He also became the first horse to win the Whittingham and the Gold Cup in the same year since the great Exceller
in 1978. Finally, he was named "Horse of the Meet" for the second consecutive year at Hollywood Park Racetrack - the first horse to repeat the coveted title since Native Diver.
After Lava Man's Gold Cup win, Daily Racing Form columnist Dick Jerardi wrote, "[N]early 27 months after his first visit to Hollywood Park Racetrack[finishing last at 57-1 in the Snow Chief Stakes], Lava Man was 3-5 in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup
. This is about as close to Seabiscuit
as this sport has seen since Seabiscuit
."
In August 2006, Lava Man prevailed in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic Stakes
over a strong field of equal-weighted thoroughbreds including Giacomo
, Perfect Drift
, Good Reward, Super Frolic, and Magnum, while earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 109
. By virtue of this win, he became the first horse ever to take the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap
, the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup
, and the Grade 1 Pacific Classic Stakes
in the same calendar year. In September, he was named "Horse of the Meet" for the 2006 Del Mar racing season. In October 2006, Lava Man prevailed in the Grade 2 Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap
at the Oak Tree Racing Association
's Santa Anita Park
meet while carrying 126 lbs., 10 more lbs. than runner-up Brother Derek
, and he earned a 109 Beyer Speed Figure
. He was later named the Oak Tree Racing Association
's "Horse of the Meet."
He was touted by many racing observers as a possible 2006 Horse of the Year
candidate if he could beat favored Bernardini
in the Breeders' Cup Classic
at Churchill Downs
on November 4, 2006. However, as seemed to be his nature when racing away from California, he did not show up with his best race and was never a factor in the Classic, finishing seventh, well behind Bernardini (placing by a length) and the winner from Argentina
by way of Uruguay
—Invasor
. It was stated by Blood-Horse magazine that Lava Man bled in the race. Despite his Breeders' Cup Classic
loss, Lava Man's likeness was inserted into a snowglobe given to paid admissions at Hollywood Park Racetrack in December 2006.
In January 2007, Lava Man's first start of the year was the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Turf
at Santa Anita Park
. Racing wide most of the way, he came home easily, winning by two lengths, and earning a Beyer Speed Figure
of 100. John Mucciolo of Brisnet.com wrote: "Lava Man continues to add to his legacy as one of the best California-bred runners we've witnessed in the past 20 years, and the ovation he received from the fans turning for home signifies just how loved this animal really is." The crowd at Santa Anita Park
for the Sunshine Millions
exceeded 36,000 which represented a new, record high attendance for the event. Most attribute the attendance record to fans who wished to see Lava Man.
In March 2007, Lava Man repeated his 2006 victory in the $1,000,000 Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap
becoming only the third horse to do so (John Henry
, Milwaukee Brew
), beating the likes of Molengao, Boboman, and 2007 Sunshine Millions Classic winner McCann's Mojave in front of 43,024 fans. Lava Man earned a Beyer Speed Figure
of 109 for this victory. He became the only horse to win two Santa Anita Handicap
s and two Hollywood Gold Cup
s. Three weeks after this win, he was shipped to Dubai
to compete in the $5,000,000 Dubai Duty Free Stakes over approximately 1 1/8 miles on the turf. As was his characteristic when traveling away from California, Lava Man finished last of 16 horses after he had the lead 3 furlongs from the finish line. In April 2007, at the close of the Santa Anita Park
season, he was unanimously named "Horse of the Meet."
In June 2007, Lava Man returned to the California race circuit with a second place finish in the Grade 1 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap
. At the time of this loss, it was an open question as to whether the pace of the race, the after-effects of Dubai, age, or a better challenger in After Market produced the loss. Lava Man quelled all doubts about his performance in the Whittingham by winning his third consecutive Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup
victory over A.P. Xcellent, Big Booster, and the biggest threat, Molengao, on June 30, 2007. John Mucciolo of Brisnet.com wrote: "STD Racing and Wood's Lava Man added to his living-legend status with a courageous nose win in this historic event for conditioner Doug O'Neill. The Cal-bred six-year-old looked beaten in the final furlong but somehow found just enough to eke out the win under Corey Nakatani. The incredible gelding went 1 1/4 miles in 2:03 1/5." John Shirreffs, A.P. Xcellent's trainer, stated after the race, "I was really proud of him [A.P. Xcellent]. He showed his character and there is a reason Lava Man is Lava Man." Lava Man's third consecutive Gold Cup matched Native Diver's three-peat of 1965-1967, earned a Beyer Speed Figure
of 105, and set a new course record for 1 1/4 miles on the new Hollywood cushion track surface. With his win on cushion track, Lava Man became the first horse to win Grade 1 races on three different surfaces: conventional dirt, turf, and cushion track.
After his Gold Cup win, Steve Haskin of the Blood-Horse contemplated Lava Man's failure to win outside of the state of California and called upon his owners to make another attempt at the Breeders' Cup. Haskin wrote: "Sure, it could backfire, but it’s not as if Lava Man’s reputation is going to suffer if it did. He’ll still be the king of California. He’ll still be a racing treasure. He’ll still be a legend. In short, he’ll still be Lava Man. And that’s enough in anyone’s lifetime." On July 15, 2007, Lava Man was named "Horse of the Meet" for the Hollywood Park Spring/Summer Meet for the third consecutive year.
. The accident left Garcia without his left arm. Trainer O'Neill said, "He's lucky to be alive and he's got a lot to live for. He's got a job with this stable forever."
On August 19, 2007, Lava Man was sent-off as the 6-5 favorite in the Pacific Classic Stakes
but did not take well to Del Mar's new Polytrack
and finished a well-beaten sixth. He was then pointed to the October 7, 2007, Oak Tree Mile Stakes at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meet in hopes the shorter distance and firmer turf might benefit him. The gelding placed a disappointing sixth and last, and jockey Corey Nakatani said, “There was no energy level there at all. We were sitting in a real good spot right behind the leaders, and then I can normally push the horse outside, but he just had no fight today. I don't know what the deal was.”
After a promising pre-race workout workout on October 28, 2007, Lava Man was sent off as the favorite in the November 3, 2007, California Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park
. The gelding broke well and assumed his favorite stalking position. However, in mid stretch he again ran out of steam and placed 6th. These defeats came as a hard blow to the horse that reigned as "The King of California" for nearly two years. Veterinarians at Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center in Santa Barbara, CA, were unable to identify anything physically wrong with the gelding, and O'Neill sent Lava Man to NexStar farm in Temecula, CA, for a planned several-month vacation from racing. Despite the lack of a storybook ending to his 2007 racing season, Lava Man was featured in an hour-plus DVD Biography giveaway at Hollywood Park Racetrack in December 2007. The biography was narrated by Jim Forbes of VH1
Behind the Music
fame, and was later incorporated into the TVG Racing Network's biography series Legends.
at Del Mar Racetrack on July 20, 2008, finishing a well beaten sixth. Subsequent x-rays, performed at the Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center, revealed that the gelding's front ankles showed marked changes from x-rays taken earlier in the year. Based on the veterinarian's assessment and the gelding's performance in the Eddie Read, Lava Man was retired on Wed. July 30th, 2008, after having made 46 starts in his career.
On September 23, 2009, after Lava Man ran an official 3 furlong workout in 36 seconds flat at Hollywood Park (tied for the fastest time of the 24 horses that ran at that distance), O'Neill announced that the gelding was back in training and preparing for a comeback only if he could compete at a Grade 1 level. Lava Man's first and only comeback start was in the San Gabriel Handicap (Gr. IIT) at Santa Anita Park on December 27, 2009, where he finished last. It was announced on January 5, 2010, that Lava Man was retired for good. In May 2010, O'Neill said that the horse was his stable pony and that he had become accustomed to his new role.
($6,427,830). He is the only horse to win the signature race at each of Southern California's major thoroughbred racetracks in one year, and he equalled Native Diver's previously deemed unmatchable record of winning three consecutive Hollywood Gold Cup
s. Lava Man was the first horse in a generation to win a Grade 1 race on dirt and turf in the same year, and he is the only horse to win a North American Grade 1 race on dirt, turf, and an artificial racing surface. He is the all-time leading earner among claimers and is arguably the greatest claim in racing history.
He was named the 2005 California-Bred Champion Older Horse and Horse of the Year and 2006 Champion Older Horse, Turf Horse, and Horse of the Year by the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association
(CTBA), becoming the first repeat California-bred Horse of the Year since Tiznow
in 2000 and 2001. In 2007, he was named Champion Older Horse by the CTBA.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
gelding
Gelding
A gelding is a castrated horse or other equine such as a donkey or a mule. Castration, and the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male horse to be calmer and better-behaved, making the animal quieter, gentler and potentially more suitable as an everyday...
by Slew City Slew (Seattle Slew
Seattle Slew
Seattle Slew was an American Thoroughbred race horse who won the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in 1977, the tenth of eleven horses to accomplish the feat. He remains the only horse to win the Triple Crown while undefeated. In the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S...
) out of L'il Ms. Leonard (Nostalgia's Star). He who rose from the lowest levels of race horse claiming race
Claiming race
A claiming race in thoroughbred horse racing is one in which the horses are all for sale for more or less the same price up until shortly before the race. Race types form a hierarchy in terms of the quality of horse they attract, with handicap races and graded stakes races attracting the "best"...
s to become regarded by many racing fans and members of the racing media as a legend in his own time. Born at Popular Meadows Ranch near Sanger, California
Sanger, California
Sanger is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 24,270 at the 2010 census, up from 18,731 at the 2000 census. Sanger is located east-southeast of Fresno, at an elevation of 371 feet .- Geography :...
, he was trained by Doug O'Neill, who bought him as a claimer for the STD Racing Stable (the Kenly family) and their partner, Jason Wood. He was bred by Lonnie Arterburn, Eve Kuhlmann, and Kim Kuhlmann in California. A jockey who regularly rides Lava Man, Corey Nakatani
Corey Nakatani
Corey S. Nakatani is an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey. He got his big break in 1990 when he rode Itsallgreektome to win big stakes races.Nakatani currently resides at Belmont Park...
, has said of him, "This horse has gears, so many gears. What a horse. He's just about unbelievable."
Eve Kuhlmann, who competes in triathlon
Triathlon
A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
s, named the horse Lava Man for a triathlon on the Big Island in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
Just a Claimer
Lava Man first raced as a 2-year-old in a $12,500 maiden claiming race at the San Joaquin County Fair in June 2003, finishing fourth and earning a paltry Beyer Speed FigureBeyer Speed Figure
The Beyer Speed Figure is a system for rating the performance of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America designed in the early 1970s by Andrew Beyer, the syndicated horse racing columnist for The Washington Post...
of 27. The Fair Circuit is the lowest level of thoroughbred competition in California thoroughbred racing. His then breeder/trainer, former jockey Lonnie Arterburn (who had claimed Lava Man's dam, L'il Ms. Leonard), said he was a big, long-striding horse that never got tired. "But he was so laid back he could be a pony. He didn't show anything in the mornings. I took him out to Stockton, California
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
to get him a race, make him eligible for starter allowances and not get him claimed away." In the words of Daily Racing Form
Daily Racing Form
The Daily Racing Form is a tabloid newspaper founded in 1894 in Chicago, Illinois by Frank Brunell. The paper publishes the past performances of race horses as a statistical service for bettors on horse racing in the United States....
columnist Dick Jerardi, "Lava Man did not start his career on the other side of the tracks. He started his career in a place [Stockton] where there are no tracks." He lost his next two races. Then Arterburn tried him on the grass. The result was dramatic. He began to show what he was made of, winning or placing in allowance races at Golden Gate Fields
Golden Gate Fields
Golden Gate Fields is an American horse racing track straddling both Albany, California and Berkeley, California along the shoreline of San Francisco Bay adjacent to the Eastshore Freeway in the San Francisco Bay Area...
. And then Artherburn entered him into a $62,500 claiming race at Del Mar Racetrack
Del Mar Racetrack
Del Mar Racetrack is an American Thoroughbred horse racing track at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in the seaside city of Del Mar, California, 20 miles north of San Diego. Operated by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, it is known for the slogan: "Where The Turf Meets The Surf." It was built by a partnership...
because, as he said, "We had no other place to run him so we took him south. It was the usual Northern California problem." He came in a poor sixth, so in his next race, Arterburn dropped him down a notch. It was then he was claimed by Doug O'Neill, looking for a useful California-bred. It was a blow for Arterburn, but at least he retains some of his horse. California-breds winning open races in the state generate breeders' rewards worth approximately 15 percent of the purse.
Moving Up
In August 2004, STD Racing Stable and Jason Wood got lucky at Del Mar Racetrack when they urged their trainer, O'Neill to claim Lava Man for $50,000. At the age of three, Lava Man won the Derby Trial Stakes at Fairplex and came in second behind Rock Hard TenRock Hard Ten
Rock Hard Ten is a millionaire American thoroughbred Stallion racehorse. Co-owned and bred by Madeleine Paulson, widow of prominent horseman Allen E. Paulson, the bay horse stands at 17 hands. He was sired by the great Kris S., out of the Mr...
in the Grade 1
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
Malibu Stakes
Malibu Stakes
The Malibu Stakes is a race for three-year-old thoroughbred horses of either gender held each December at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California...
. Doing so well against the very good Rock Hard Ten in a Grade 1 made O'Neill dream of doing more.
In 2005, Lava Man lost his first three starts. O'Neill decided to make an equipment change and fitted Lava Man with blinkers. He responded by winning a May optional claiming race where he could have been purchased for $100,000 if his connections had chosen to make him eligible for being claimed. Then he took the Grade 2 Californian Stakes
Californian Stakes
The Californian Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second week of June at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. The Grade II event is open to horses age three and up willing to race one and one-eighth miles on the dirt...
in June for his first graded stakes victory. In his next race, the $750,000 Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup
Hollywood Gold Cup
The Hollywood Gold Cup is an American Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred horses inaugurated in 1938 at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. It was run as a handicap race until 1997 when it was switched to weight-for-age conditions...
in July 2005, Lava Man turned in his breakthrough performance, winning by a stakes record margin of victory of over 8 lengths and earning his career-high Beyer Speed Figure
Beyer Speed Figure
The Beyer Speed Figure is a system for rating the performance of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America designed in the early 1970s by Andrew Beyer, the syndicated horse racing columnist for The Washington Post...
of 120 while carrying the highweight in the race. In August, he was a game third in the Pacific Classic Stakes
Pacific Classic Stakes
The Pacific Classic Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for runners aged 3-year-old or up run at the classic American distance of a mile and a quarter...
, coming out of race so exhausted he had to be vanned off. "He gave us such a scare," said O'Neill. "We thought he broke down. You wanted to hug the horse even more. He gave everything he had. People don't do that and horses don't do that."
But then Lvaa Man ran badly in his next two races. He was sent east for the Jockey Club Gold Cup
Jockey Club Gold Cup
The Jockey Club Gold Cup, established in 1919, is a prestigious thoroughbred flat race open to horses of either gender three-years-old and up. It is typically the main event of the fall meeting at Belmont Park, just as the Belmont Stakes is of the spring meeting and the Travers Stakes is of the...
but only managed seventh. In late November, he went to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
for the Japan Cup Dirt
Japan Cup Dirt
The Japan Cup Dirt is a race usually run a week after the Japan Cup.- Race Information :* Racecourse: Hanshin Racecourse* Distance: 1,800 meters The Japan Cup Dirt (JPN G-1) is a race usually run a week after the Japan Cup.- Race Information :* Racecourse: Hanshin Racecourse* Distance: 1,800...
. There, he finished eleventh, and was found to have an abscess in his left front foot.
From Claiming to Reigning
Lava Man came back from his foot injury in 2006 and blossomed into a superstar. His first 2006 race, the $1,000,000 Sunshine Millions ClassicSunshine Millions Classic
The Sunshine Millions Classic is an American race for thoroughbred horses held annually in January at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California and at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida...
restricted to California- and Florida-bred horses, was an easy score, earning Lava Man a modest Beyer Speed Figure
Beyer Speed Figure
The Beyer Speed Figure is a system for rating the performance of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America designed in the early 1970s by Andrew Beyer, the syndicated horse racing columnist for The Washington Post...
of 99. Critics doubted that, once matched against all comers, he could be competitive. In his next race, the $1,000,000 Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap
Santa Anita Handicap
The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up , and is considered the most important race for older horses in North America during the winter racing season...
, Lava Man faced favorite High Limit, 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo
Giacomo
Giacomo is a Thoroughbred stallion race horse trained by John Shirreffs who is perhaps best known for winning the 2005 Kentucky Derby in 2:02.75...
, and 2004 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Champion Wilko. He scored a 3/4 length victory over the overlooked, high-quality horse Magnum, who was carrying 7 fewer pounds than Lava Man. Lava Man earned a Beyer Speed Figure
Beyer Speed Figure
The Beyer Speed Figure is a system for rating the performance of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America designed in the early 1970s by Andrew Beyer, the syndicated horse racing columnist for The Washington Post...
of 113 for his effort. Because of his turf ability and pedigree, O'Neill next entered him in the restricted Khaled Stakes
Khaled Stakes
The Khaled Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. Sponsored by the TVG Network, the race is contested on turf over a distance of one and one-eighth miles...
at Hollywood Park Racetrack. Lava Man won easily and set a new track record for 1 1/8 miles while earning a Beyer Speed Figure
Beyer Speed Figure
The Beyer Speed Figure is a system for rating the performance of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America designed in the early 1970s by Andrew Beyer, the syndicated horse racing columnist for The Washington Post...
of 106. Keeping him on the turf, O'Neill followed up the Khaled victory by entering the horse in the Grade 1 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap
Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap
The Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second week of June at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California...
(formerly Turf Invitational Handicap) at Hollywood Park Racetrack. Lava Man rolled to a comfortable victory in the 1 1/4 mile Whittingham, earning a Beyer Speed Figure
Beyer Speed Figure
The Beyer Speed Figure is a system for rating the performance of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America designed in the early 1970s by Andrew Beyer, the syndicated horse racing columnist for The Washington Post...
of 107. This win made him the first horse since Eclipse Award winner Vanlandingham in 1985 to win a Grade 1 Turf and Dirt race in the same year.
Next up for Lava Man was an attempt to repeat in the Hollywood Gold Cup
Hollywood Gold Cup
The Hollywood Gold Cup is an American Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred horses inaugurated in 1938 at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. It was run as a handicap race until 1997 when it was switched to weight-for-age conditions...
. Only the legendary California-bred and Hall of Famer Native Diver had ever repeated in the Gold Cup in 1965-66-67. Lava Man stumbled badly at the start of the race and had to ride more off the pace than he generally preferred. Nevertheless, he took the lead in mid-stretch and held off by a short nose the gallant run of longshot Ace Blue, who was carrying 10 pounds less than Lava Man, to achieve his Gold Cup repeat. Lava Man earned a 109 Beyer Speed Figure
Beyer Speed Figure
The Beyer Speed Figure is a system for rating the performance of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America designed in the early 1970s by Andrew Beyer, the syndicated horse racing columnist for The Washington Post...
for his win. He also had the distinction of winning the Gold Cup by the biggest and smallest margins in race history.
Lava Man became the first horse since Triple Crown Winner Affirmed
Affirmed
Affirmed was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the eleventh and most recent winner of the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing...
in 1979 to win the Santa Anita Handicap
Santa Anita Handicap
The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up , and is considered the most important race for older horses in North America during the winter racing season...
and Hollywood Gold Cup
Hollywood Gold Cup
The Hollywood Gold Cup is an American Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred horses inaugurated in 1938 at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. It was run as a handicap race until 1997 when it was switched to weight-for-age conditions...
in the same year. He also became the first horse to win the Whittingham and the Gold Cup in the same year since the great Exceller
Exceller
Exceller is widely considered one of the best horses to race in the United States not to win a year-end championship. Despite his exemplary achievements as a racehorse, and his unique accomplishment in being the only horse to ever defeat two Triple Crown winners in the same race , Exceller is now...
in 1978. Finally, he was named "Horse of the Meet" for the second consecutive year at Hollywood Park Racetrack - the first horse to repeat the coveted title since Native Diver.
After Lava Man's Gold Cup win, Daily Racing Form columnist Dick Jerardi wrote, "[N]early 27 months after his first visit to Hollywood Park Racetrack[finishing last at 57-1 in the Snow Chief Stakes], Lava Man was 3-5 in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup
Hollywood Gold Cup
The Hollywood Gold Cup is an American Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred horses inaugurated in 1938 at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. It was run as a handicap race until 1997 when it was switched to weight-for-age conditions...
. This is about as close to Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse in the United States. From an inauspicious start, Seabiscuit became an unlikely champion and a symbol of hope to many Americans during the Great Depression...
as this sport has seen since Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse in the United States. From an inauspicious start, Seabiscuit became an unlikely champion and a symbol of hope to many Americans during the Great Depression...
."
Pacific Classic Stakes
The Pacific Classic Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for runners aged 3-year-old or up run at the classic American distance of a mile and a quarter...
over a strong field of equal-weighted thoroughbreds including Giacomo
Giacomo
Giacomo is a Thoroughbred stallion race horse trained by John Shirreffs who is perhaps best known for winning the 2005 Kentucky Derby in 2:02.75...
, Perfect Drift
Perfect Drift
Perfect Drift, is an American thoroughbred gelding racehorse. He is sired by the leading stud, Dynaformer, out of the Naskra mare, Nice Gal....
, Good Reward, Super Frolic, and Magnum, while earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 109
109
Year 109 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Palma and Tullus...
. By virtue of this win, he became the first horse ever to take the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap
Santa Anita Handicap
The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up , and is considered the most important race for older horses in North America during the winter racing season...
, the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup
Hollywood Gold Cup
The Hollywood Gold Cup is an American Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred horses inaugurated in 1938 at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. It was run as a handicap race until 1997 when it was switched to weight-for-age conditions...
, and the Grade 1 Pacific Classic Stakes
Pacific Classic Stakes
The Pacific Classic Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for runners aged 3-year-old or up run at the classic American distance of a mile and a quarter...
in the same calendar year. In September, he was named "Horse of the Meet" for the 2006 Del Mar racing season. In October 2006, Lava Man prevailed in the Grade 2 Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap
Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap
The Goodwood Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race run annually since 1982 during the Oak Tree Racing Association at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California....
at the Oak Tree Racing Association
Oak Tree Racing Association
The Oak Tree Racing Association is an American not-for-profit corporation that exists to conduct live thoroughbred horse racing in Southern California.-History:...
's Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the winter and in spring. With its backdrop of the purple San Gabriel Mountains, it is considered by many as the world's most beautiful race...
meet while carrying 126 lbs., 10 more lbs. than runner-up Brother Derek
Brother Derek
Brother Derek is a thoroughbred horse. He was bred by Mary H. Caldwell and owned by Cecil N. Peacock.Trained by Dan Hendricks, Brother Derek began racing at age two in California...
, and he earned a 109 Beyer Speed Figure
Beyer Speed Figure
The Beyer Speed Figure is a system for rating the performance of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America designed in the early 1970s by Andrew Beyer, the syndicated horse racing columnist for The Washington Post...
. He was later named the Oak Tree Racing Association
Oak Tree Racing Association
The Oak Tree Racing Association is an American not-for-profit corporation that exists to conduct live thoroughbred horse racing in Southern California.-History:...
's "Horse of the Meet."
He was touted by many racing observers as a possible 2006 Horse of the Year
Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year
The American Award for Horse of the Year is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. It has been awarded since 1887 to the horse, irrespective of age, whose performance during the racing year is deemed the most outstanding....
candidate if he could beat favored Bernardini
Bernardini
Bernardini is a thoroughbred race horse foaled on March 23, 2003 at Darley Stable in Kentucky. A son of A.P. Indy, he is out of Cara Rafaela who won almost a million dollars over the course of her racing career...
in the Breeders' Cup Classic
Breeders' Cup Classic
The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3 year olds and older run at a distance of 1¼ miles on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships...
at Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs, located in Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, is a Thoroughbred racetrack most famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby annually. It officially opened in 1875, and held the first Kentucky Derby and the first Kentucky Oaks in the same year. Churchill Downs...
on November 4, 2006. However, as seemed to be his nature when racing away from California, he did not show up with his best race and was never a factor in the Classic, finishing seventh, well behind Bernardini (placing by a length) and the winner from Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
by way of Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
—Invasor
Invasor (horse)
Invasor is a Thoroughbred racehorse bred in Argentina by Haras Clausan. The winner of the 2005 Triple Crown in Uruguay, he was later purchased by Sheik Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum who paid approximately USD 1.4 million for the horse...
. It was stated by Blood-Horse magazine that Lava Man bled in the race. Despite his Breeders' Cup Classic
Breeders' Cup Classic
The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3 year olds and older run at a distance of 1¼ miles on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships...
loss, Lava Man's likeness was inserted into a snowglobe given to paid admissions at Hollywood Park Racetrack in December 2006.
In January 2007, Lava Man's first start of the year was the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Turf
Sunshine Millions Turf
The Sunshine Millions Turf Stakes is a race for thoroughbred horses held in January at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California or at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida...
at Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the winter and in spring. With its backdrop of the purple San Gabriel Mountains, it is considered by many as the world's most beautiful race...
. Racing wide most of the way, he came home easily, winning by two lengths, and earning a Beyer Speed Figure
Beyer Speed Figure
The Beyer Speed Figure is a system for rating the performance of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America designed in the early 1970s by Andrew Beyer, the syndicated horse racing columnist for The Washington Post...
of 100. John Mucciolo of Brisnet.com wrote: "Lava Man continues to add to his legacy as one of the best California-bred runners we've witnessed in the past 20 years, and the ovation he received from the fans turning for home signifies just how loved this animal really is." The crowd at Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the winter and in spring. With its backdrop of the purple San Gabriel Mountains, it is considered by many as the world's most beautiful race...
for the Sunshine Millions
Sunshine Millions
The Sunshine Millions is a series of American races for thoroughbred horses held in January at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California or at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida...
exceeded 36,000 which represented a new, record high attendance for the event. Most attribute the attendance record to fans who wished to see Lava Man.
In March 2007, Lava Man repeated his 2006 victory in the $1,000,000 Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap
Santa Anita Handicap
The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up , and is considered the most important race for older horses in North America during the winter racing season...
becoming only the third horse to do so (John Henry
John Henry (horse)
John Henry was an American Thoroughbred race horse who had 39 wins, with $6,591,860 in earnings. He was twice voted the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year in 1981 and 1984, with his 1981 selection is the only one whereby the victor received all votes cast for that award. John Henry was also...
, Milwaukee Brew
Milwaukee Brew
Milwaukee Brew is an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known as one of only three horses to ever win back-to-back runnings of the Santa Anita Handicap....
), beating the likes of Molengao, Boboman, and 2007 Sunshine Millions Classic winner McCann's Mojave in front of 43,024 fans. Lava Man earned a Beyer Speed Figure
Beyer Speed Figure
The Beyer Speed Figure is a system for rating the performance of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America designed in the early 1970s by Andrew Beyer, the syndicated horse racing columnist for The Washington Post...
of 109 for this victory. He became the only horse to win two Santa Anita Handicap
Santa Anita Handicap
The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up , and is considered the most important race for older horses in North America during the winter racing season...
s and two Hollywood Gold Cup
Hollywood Gold Cup
The Hollywood Gold Cup is an American Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred horses inaugurated in 1938 at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. It was run as a handicap race until 1997 when it was switched to weight-for-age conditions...
s. Three weeks after this win, he was shipped to Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
to compete in the $5,000,000 Dubai Duty Free Stakes over approximately 1 1/8 miles on the turf. As was his characteristic when traveling away from California, Lava Man finished last of 16 horses after he had the lead 3 furlongs from the finish line. In April 2007, at the close of the Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the winter and in spring. With its backdrop of the purple San Gabriel Mountains, it is considered by many as the world's most beautiful race...
season, he was unanimously named "Horse of the Meet."
Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap
The Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second week of June at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California...
. At the time of this loss, it was an open question as to whether the pace of the race, the after-effects of Dubai, age, or a better challenger in After Market produced the loss. Lava Man quelled all doubts about his performance in the Whittingham by winning his third consecutive Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup
Hollywood Gold Cup
The Hollywood Gold Cup is an American Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred horses inaugurated in 1938 at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. It was run as a handicap race until 1997 when it was switched to weight-for-age conditions...
victory over A.P. Xcellent, Big Booster, and the biggest threat, Molengao, on June 30, 2007. John Mucciolo of Brisnet.com wrote: "STD Racing and Wood's Lava Man added to his living-legend status with a courageous nose win in this historic event for conditioner Doug O'Neill. The Cal-bred six-year-old looked beaten in the final furlong but somehow found just enough to eke out the win under Corey Nakatani. The incredible gelding went 1 1/4 miles in 2:03 1/5." John Shirreffs, A.P. Xcellent's trainer, stated after the race, "I was really proud of him [A.P. Xcellent]. He showed his character and there is a reason Lava Man is Lava Man." Lava Man's third consecutive Gold Cup matched Native Diver's three-peat of 1965-1967, earned a Beyer Speed Figure
Beyer Speed Figure
The Beyer Speed Figure is a system for rating the performance of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America designed in the early 1970s by Andrew Beyer, the syndicated horse racing columnist for The Washington Post...
of 105, and set a new course record for 1 1/4 miles on the new Hollywood cushion track surface. With his win on cushion track, Lava Man became the first horse to win Grade 1 races on three different surfaces: conventional dirt, turf, and cushion track.
After his Gold Cup win, Steve Haskin of the Blood-Horse contemplated Lava Man's failure to win outside of the state of California and called upon his owners to make another attempt at the Breeders' Cup. Haskin wrote: "Sure, it could backfire, but it’s not as if Lava Man’s reputation is going to suffer if it did. He’ll still be the king of California. He’ll still be a racing treasure. He’ll still be a legend. In short, he’ll still be Lava Man. And that’s enough in anyone’s lifetime." On July 15, 2007, Lava Man was named "Horse of the Meet" for the Hollywood Park Spring/Summer Meet for the third consecutive year.
Hard Times
On July 23rd, 2007, Lava Man's long-time groom, Noe Garcia, suffered serious injuries in an automobile accident just outside of the Del Mar Racetrack, where Lava Man was stabled in preparation for the Pacific Classic StakesPacific Classic Stakes
The Pacific Classic Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for runners aged 3-year-old or up run at the classic American distance of a mile and a quarter...
. The accident left Garcia without his left arm. Trainer O'Neill said, "He's lucky to be alive and he's got a lot to live for. He's got a job with this stable forever."
On August 19, 2007, Lava Man was sent-off as the 6-5 favorite in the Pacific Classic Stakes
Pacific Classic Stakes
The Pacific Classic Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for runners aged 3-year-old or up run at the classic American distance of a mile and a quarter...
but did not take well to Del Mar's new Polytrack
Polytrack
A synthetic racetrack surface is any kind of surface substance that replaces grass, dirt or sand as the racing surface on a horse racing track. Synthetic surfaces may be desirable over traditional surfaces for several reasons, most prominently the reduction of injuries and possible deaths to horses...
and finished a well-beaten sixth. He was then pointed to the October 7, 2007, Oak Tree Mile Stakes at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meet in hopes the shorter distance and firmer turf might benefit him. The gelding placed a disappointing sixth and last, and jockey Corey Nakatani said, “There was no energy level there at all. We were sitting in a real good spot right behind the leaders, and then I can normally push the horse outside, but he just had no fight today. I don't know what the deal was.”
Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the winter and in spring. With its backdrop of the purple San Gabriel Mountains, it is considered by many as the world's most beautiful race...
. The gelding broke well and assumed his favorite stalking position. However, in mid stretch he again ran out of steam and placed 6th. These defeats came as a hard blow to the horse that reigned as "The King of California" for nearly two years. Veterinarians at Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center in Santa Barbara, CA, were unable to identify anything physically wrong with the gelding, and O'Neill sent Lava Man to NexStar farm in Temecula, CA, for a planned several-month vacation from racing. Despite the lack of a storybook ending to his 2007 racing season, Lava Man was featured in an hour-plus DVD Biography giveaway at Hollywood Park Racetrack in December 2007. The biography was narrated by Jim Forbes of VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
Behind the Music
Behind the Music
Behind the Music is a television series on VH1. It originally ran from 1997 to 2006, before it was stopped and only aired new episodes sporadically. The series places its generality on documentation of musical artists or groups who are interviewed and profiled, and discuss how their careers became...
fame, and was later incorporated into the TVG Racing Network's biography series Legends.
Return to the Track and Retirement I and Retirement II
Lava Man was again examined at the Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center before returning to Hollywood Park on January 26, 2008. Noe Garcia, Lava Man's long time groom, also returned to the track to resume his duties with the champion. Garcia had taken a 6 month break to recuperate from the car accident in which he almost lost his life to a drunk driver. O'Neill ran Lava Man at the April 27, 2008, Khaled Stakes, where he finished a non-threatening third, after previously winning the race in track record time in 2006. Lava Man went on to run competitively in the $300,000 Charles Whittingham Handicap at Hollywood Park on June 7, 2008, placing third, a mere neck behind the winner. O'Neill deemed the three week timetable between the Whittingham and the Hollywood Gold Cup to be too short of a rest for Lava Man to make an attempt to win the race for the fourth consecutive. The horse then started in the Grade I Eddie Read HandicapEddie Read Handicap
The Eddie Read Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second half of July at the Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. Open to horses age three and older, it is raced at a distance of one and one-eighth miles on turf...
at Del Mar Racetrack on July 20, 2008, finishing a well beaten sixth. Subsequent x-rays, performed at the Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center, revealed that the gelding's front ankles showed marked changes from x-rays taken earlier in the year. Based on the veterinarian's assessment and the gelding's performance in the Eddie Read, Lava Man was retired on Wed. July 30th, 2008, after having made 46 starts in his career.
On September 23, 2009, after Lava Man ran an official 3 furlong workout in 36 seconds flat at Hollywood Park (tied for the fastest time of the 24 horses that ran at that distance), O'Neill announced that the gelding was back in training and preparing for a comeback only if he could compete at a Grade 1 level. Lava Man's first and only comeback start was in the San Gabriel Handicap (Gr. IIT) at Santa Anita Park on December 27, 2009, where he finished last. It was announced on January 5, 2010, that Lava Man was retired for good. In May 2010, O'Neill said that the horse was his stable pony and that he had become accustomed to his new role.
Legacy
Lava Man won 7 Grade 1 races, ranking him as the all-time leader among California-breds. His earnings of nearly $5.2 million place him third on the list of leading California-bred earners, right behind Best Pal ($5,668,245) and TiznowTiznow
Tiznow is an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse owned by Michael L. Cooper and Cee's Stable.-Pedigree:...
($6,427,830). He is the only horse to win the signature race at each of Southern California's major thoroughbred racetracks in one year, and he equalled Native Diver's previously deemed unmatchable record of winning three consecutive Hollywood Gold Cup
Hollywood Gold Cup
The Hollywood Gold Cup is an American Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred horses inaugurated in 1938 at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. It was run as a handicap race until 1997 when it was switched to weight-for-age conditions...
s. Lava Man was the first horse in a generation to win a Grade 1 race on dirt and turf in the same year, and he is the only horse to win a North American Grade 1 race on dirt, turf, and an artificial racing surface. He is the all-time leading earner among claimers and is arguably the greatest claim in racing history.
He was named the 2005 California-Bred Champion Older Horse and Horse of the Year and 2006 Champion Older Horse, Turf Horse, and Horse of the Year by the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association
California Thoroughbred Breeders Association
The California Thoroughbred Breeders Association , founded in 1937, is a non-profit organization committed to the advancement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing in California. It is governed by a board of 16 directors elected by the association's general membership...
(CTBA), becoming the first repeat California-bred Horse of the Year since Tiznow
Tiznow
Tiznow is an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse owned by Michael L. Cooper and Cee's Stable.-Pedigree:...
in 2000 and 2001. In 2007, he was named Champion Older Horse by the CTBA.