Lava Man burns Classic rivals; House of Fortune much the
best in Distaff
Bred in the Golden State by Eve and Kim Kuhlmann and Lonnie Arterburn, Lava Man gave the California team a 5-3 edge in races won. Under the Sunshine
The five-year-old is no stranger to the limelight, winning the Hollywood Gold
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“I was one of them,” O’Neill commented when asked about the horse’s doubters
following the last two races. “You never know. Sure, he was training great but
after they run a couple of clunkers…this game is full of excuses when you
don’t run good and I was just worried that maybe I was making up too many
whoppers. But he finally ran like he had been training.”
Under Nakatani, Lava Man rated in fourth as Proud Tower Too (Proud
Irish) established sizzling fractions of :21 4/5 and :44 4/5 with Trickey Trevor
(Demaloot Demashoot) in hot pursuit to his outside. These two didn’t figure to
last long and Lava Man moved quickly to seize the lead by the top of the lane,
getting the jump on the late runners with a strong turn of foot that carried him
to an overwhelming advantage with a furlong left to run. Under steady
encouragement from Nakatani, the winner easily held off the charges of Whos
Crying Now (Concerto), Texcess (In Excess [Ire]) and Buzzards Bay (Marco Bay),
who were all well off the rail and left with too much to do in the stretch.
Following splits of 1:08 3/5 and 1:35 4/5 for a mile, Lava Man completed nine
fast-track furlongs in 1:49 4/5.
The 5-2 second choice in a field of 12, Lava Man gave back $7.80, $5.40 and
$4.40 to his supporters. Whos Crying Now was dismissed at 11-1 odds and wound
up 1 1/2 lengths better than the 11-1 Texcess. It was another two lengths
back to the 2-1 favorite, Buzzards Bay. Supervisor (Skip Trial), McCann’s Mojave
(Memo [Chi]), Trickey Trevor, Wild Buddy (Line in the Sand), Desert Boom
(Boomerang), Super Strut (Lil Tyler), Proud Tower Too and B. B. Best (Yes It’s
True) rounded out the order of finish. Always Noble (Suave Prospect) and Calkins
Road (Illinois Storm) were scratched.
Lava Man now owns four stakes tallies, capturing the Californian H. (G2) in
addition to his Gold Cup score last season, and he’s placed in five black-type
events, including the 2004 Malibu S. (G1) in which he fell only a half-length
short to Rock Hard Ten. He’s out of the winning Li’l Ms. Leonard (Nostalgia’s
Star), who is also the dam of a yearling colt by High Brite.
Arnold Zetcher’s HOUSE OF FORTUNE (Free House) turned in a memorable
performance in the $500,000
Distaff at Gulfstream Park. The Ron McAnally-trained
mare launched her bid approaching the far turn, easily disposed of 6-5 favorite
Dream of Summer (Siberian Summer) on the bend and powered into the stretch
unopposed, coasting to the wire for a 6 1/2-length decision. A multiple Grade 2
winner, the five-year-old notched her seventh overall stakes score.
Snug Harbour (Boston Harbor) came out winging it in :23 2/5 and :46 3/5
before throwing in the towel and pulling up in the stretch. House of Fortune sat
a close fourth before being given her cue by Pat Valenzuela and moved quickly to
the lead, setting the three-quarters split in 1:10 2/5. Dream of Summer tried
valiantly to keep up with her rival on the far turn but could not match strides,
and Sweet Lips (Kris S.) moved into second as House of Fortune continued to pour
it on into the stretch. The winner got a mile in 1:35 3/5 and finished 1 1/8
miles over the fast track in 1:49 1/5.
House of Fortune captured the Fantasy S. (G2), Hollywood Breeders’ Cup Oaks
(G2) and California Oaks in 2004, but she was winless in her first eight starts
of 2005
before concluding the year with a victory in the Cat’s Cradle H.
“She’s had little problems here and there in her races,” McAnally said. “She
has no withers, so her saddle has slipped sometimes. In another start, the
(assistant) starter grabbed her right ear. It’s been little things here and
there. But today we tried to get it all together, and she did.”
Off as the 2-1 second choice, House of Fortune paid $6.80, $3.60 and $2.60.
Sweet Lips, the 5-2 third choice and defending Distaff champion, was 7 1/4
lengths clear of Grade 1 winner Dream of Summer. Pitanga (Halo’s Image) finished
another two lengths back in fourth and was followed by Special Report
(Notebook), American Miss (Ameri Valay) and Formal Lady (Formal Dinner). Snug
Harbour was unsaddled and walked back to her barn. Secret Corsage (Lost Soldier)
was scratched.
Bred in California by John Treasure, House of Fortune hails out of the
unraced So Fortunate (Garthorn), who is a daughter of 1986 Arlington-Washington
Lassie (G1) and Sorority S. (G2) winner Delicate Vine (Knights Choice), who is
also the dam of Grade 2 winner Altazarr and 1999 Santa Ynez S. (G2) runner-up
Rayelle. House of Fortune sold initially for $40,000 as a yearling and brought
$125,000 at the 2003 Barretts March two-year-old in training sale. She’s now
earned $989,185 from a 22-8-5-2 line.