Lava Man to Dubai? - Page 3

#41 01-02-2007, 05:37 PM

If Lava Man is going to have any success in Dubai, the connections should give serious consideration to shipping him early enough to acclimate to a new environment and also run in one of the prep races in late February or early March.

Gander · #42 01-02-2007, 05:37 PM

Ball Four
Suave
Seek Gold
Watershed event

All Grade 1 winners?

blackthroatedwind · #43 01-02-2007, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gander

Ball Four
Suave
Seek Gold
Watershed event

All Grade 1 winners?

They all finished ahead of Perfect Drift last year.

Gander · #44 01-02-2007, 05:57 PM

Thats a trick question. You could make a heck of a longer list than that. Perfect Hanger. Gotta love him.

ArlJim78 · #45 01-02-2007, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gander

Ball Four
Suave
Seek Gold
Watershed event

All Grade 1 winners?

These were the winners of the 2006 races that Perfect Drift finished second in.

Ball Four beat him in a six horse field in the Kentucky Cup Classic gr11

Suave beat him by five lengths in the Washinton Park Handicap Gr11 , a seven horse field. Suave went to the BCC, was 30 to 1 on the morning line and ended up beating only one horse, David Junior. The fact that Perfect Drift finished well in front of Suave in the BC shows he ran his race, maybe better.

Of course Seek Gold beat him in the Foster at Churchill in what had to be the highlight of the year for him. Seek Gold was something like 70 to 1.

And to begin the year, Watershed Event beat Perfect Drift in a five horse allowance event.

If your best effort comes up short against this bunch under much easier conditions, it may not be your year to take down the BCC.

ManilaRose · #46 01-02-2007, 06:17 PM

I believe it's fairly obvious he ran in order to compete in his 5th straight BC Classic and because he's a gelding they've made a fortune with, not because he was a logical contender.

brockguy · #47 01-02-2007, 06:21 PM

There's alot of horses that win races when people think they havent a chance. PD deserved his place in the field.

Cannon Shell · #48 01-02-2007, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by outofthebox

Someone please remind the O neill barn that all medications must cease at least 30 days out from the race. We don't need another Brass Hat fiasco.

I was thinking the same thing
I only saw him train a few times this fall but he isn't the smoothest looking thing in the A.M.

Danzig · #49 01-02-2007, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

I sure do hope that Lava doesn't go to Dubai. No point, plenty of money to be won winning races in Cali.

i'm on the fence at this point regarding lava man. yeah, plenty of money to be had in cali, but then there's the 'been there, done that' line of thought.

racing is full of risks and rewards. maybe they know something we don't. maybe they send him over early enough, he gets over his homesickness and runs well. who knows?

besides, horses are put in over their heads all the time--it's given us some great moments in racing over the years...jim dandy's travers win immediately leaps to mind.

if lava man is happy, healthy, doing what he enjoys...go for it. it doesn't injure him to ship, he doesn't read the papers so he has no clue what kind of reputation he has!

Cannon Shell · #50 01-02-2007, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brockguy

There's alot of horses that win races when people think they havent a chance. PD deserved his place in the field.

If we are going to complain about short fields in big races we cant complain when horses like this run. I know he has lost a step or three but "its better to be a has been than a never was"

2Hot4TV · #51 01-02-2007, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cajungator26

*Raises hand.*

Perfect Drift had a legitimate excuse in the BCC.

As for Lava Man, if the horse was stabled in Kentucky all year as he is California, I think he would run just as well in Kentucky. I don't think it's the track surfaces that do him in... I think it's his uncomfort in being stabled in new digs. Just my take on it...

I'm a big Lava Man fan, but you're right about him racing at home. Steve told us that when he saw Lava Man at Churchhill for the BC that he was having a problem with his new home and appeared to be a "STALL RACER". Let him be King of California till someone beats him.

2Hot4TV · #52 01-02-2007, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

I was thinking the same thing
I only saw him train a few times this fall but he isn't the smoothest looking thing in the A.M.

But he sure looks good in the winners circle at $500,000 a shot last year.

Cannon Shell · #53 01-02-2007, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2Hot4TV

But he sure looks good in the winners circle at $500,000 a shot last year.

Yes he does but the most important "shot" may not be available in Dubai.....unless you are owned by the home team, of course.

2Hot4TV · #54 01-02-2007, 08:02 PM

There's no place like home.

paisjpq · #55 01-02-2007, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Yes he does but the most important "shot" may not be available in Dubai.....unless you are owned by the home team, of course.

well now...he could get one of the other 'shots' that the competition got last year...the one's that 'relaxed' them...did anyone ever investigate that?

GPK · #56 01-02-2007, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

If we are going to complain about short fields in big races we cant complain when horses like this run. I know he has lost a step or three but "its better to be a has been than a never was"

country song...

"I ain't good as I once was...but I'm as good once, as I ever was"

Pedigree Ann · #57 01-02-2007, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paisjpq

well now...he could get one of the other 'shots' that the competition got last year...the one's that 'relaxed' them...did anyone ever investigate that?

What I heard is that because the trainer did the tests on his own, they don't exist for the local racing authorities and in fact the authorities are debarred from taking any action based on tests they did not order. Some sort of catch-22 situation like that as I recall.

paisjpq · #58 01-02-2007, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pedigree Ann

What I heard is that because the trainer did the tests on his own, they don't exist for the local racing authorities and in fact the authorities are debarred from taking any action based on tests they did not order. Some sort of catch-22 situation like that as I recall.

nice...damned if you do damned if you don't...

King Glorious · #59 01-03-2007, 09:01 AM

I like the move. I think he's got the right style to be something nice on the grass in top company. I think it fits him better than the dirt races do. Obviously, there are the questions on how he's going to ship but the only way to find out how he'll like Dubai is to send him there. I think the conditions of the races he's shipped to have had as much to do with his performances as any issues with the actual shipping. We'll see. One thing I absolutely would not do though is ship him there early and let him get acclimated. Either he's going to like the surface or he's not. If he does, u don't need to get him acclimated. If he doesn't, the best showing he'll have over it is the first chance. If a horse doesn't like a track, having them train over it only gives them more time to build up their dislike for it.

Gander · #60 01-03-2007, 09:04 AM

If Lava Man wins, it will be because the horses were bad or he got loose on the lead, or all the other horses in the race had excuses, yadda yadda yadda.
Nobody will admit the horse is just plain very good. Kind of reminds me of the Tin Man. No respect, no respect.