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#1
05-31-2012, 01:18 AM
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Good and Bad of Lava Man
The Hall of Fame Lava Man: (his first 14 races in Southern California at the Graded Stakes or Sunshine Millions class level)
 11 wins from 14 tries. All in the money. The three who beat him (Rock Hard Ten, Borrego, and After Market) all came right back to win Grade 1's. A record 3 Hollywood Gold Cups. Two Big Caps. A Pacific Classic. Sunshine Millions features on both surfaces. Grade 1 wins on all 3 surfaces. A Beyer figure of 120 at peak. Valiant defeat in the Pacific Classic was his signature losing performance. He went head-to-head with Surf Cat through blistering fractions. Put him away and almost lasted to win. Had to be vanned off after the race in a courageous defeat. Surf Cat won all of his next 4 starts, three at the Graded Stakes level including fast sprints. The non-effort Lava Man: (every single time Lava Man shipped out of state he ran terrible)  The Move-up Lava Man: (Good Northern California trainer Lonnie Aurterburn had a claiming horse -- within just a month, he was transformed into a stakes caliber triple digit Beyer horse for the new barn)  
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#2
05-31-2012, 02:50 AM
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Thank you Doug for that....
Even though Lava Man couldn't stand up east of Palm Springs or west of Catalina Island, he was a beast right here at home. I appreciated your saying that his California career was a Hall Of Fame career. I'm thinking he won't make it there. Three Hollywood Gold Cups, two Santa Anita Handicaps, and one Pacific Classic, not to mention a couple of GI's on the turf, won't be enough to get him there......just because he was so dismal outside of the California sunshine. Lava Man may not make it into the Hall Of Fame, but I really appreciate your little celebration of him. He deserves it.
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#3
05-31-2012, 09:29 AM
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I think he should be in the Hall of Fame...and he will probably get in eventually.
Too many top horses get shielded from tough spots, avoid travel, and dodge spots here, there, and everywhere. For 3 years -- Lava Man danced all of the major dances and dominated in Southern California. The fact that he also traveled to Japan, Dubai, New York, Gulfstream, and Churchill for competition away from home shouldn't be held against him. He just couldn't perform at all away from home. Obviously the connections of Lava Man had no reputation to micro-manage and protect. He was a gelding -- so any defeat wouldn't hurt his stud value. He also certainly wasn't a horse with an undefeated record -- so they had no reason to handle him and campaign him in an unsportsmanlike fashion like others trying to protect a record. Lava Man got a bad break that the Breeders Cup wasn't held for two years consecutively at Santa Anita when he was in his prime. He would have been very competitive even with horses like Invasor and Bernardini at home. He would have won at least one Breeders Cup Classic at home. Saint Liam and Flower Alley weren't coming into Santa Anita or Hollywood Park and challenging him. Saint Liam bombed in the Big Cap that Rock Hard Ten won. Lava Man at home VS Bernardini and Invasor the following year would have been a great match-up.
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#6
05-31-2012, 10:20 AM
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Quote:
I know, I know, she never ran on turf, but she was so great, she should be credited with a grade 1 on turf anyways.
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#7
05-31-2012, 11:22 AM
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Quote:
__________________
don't run out of ammo.
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#8
05-31-2012, 11:29 AM
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Pretty sure the Clark was still a GII in those days.
__________________
The world's foremost expert on virtually everything on the Redskins 2010 season: "Im going to go out on a limb here. I say they make the playoffs."
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#10
05-31-2012, 11:59 AM
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Here is Lava Man on his best day ... winning the first of his 3 Hollywood Gold Cups and running a Beyer of 120 in victory.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adazjmPXRuM
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