O’Neill ‘bummed’ by Lava Man’s effort in San Gabriel

Lava Man (right) gave way to the victorious Proudinsky (Benoit Photo) Trainer Doug O’Neill was expecting a stronger comeback from seven-time Grade 1 star LAVA MAN (Slew City Slew), who faded to finish last of seven after setting the pace in Sunday’s San Gabriel H. (G2) at Santa Anita. The $5.2 million earner was making his first start since he was retired in July 2008, following a subpar last-of-six effort in the Eddie Read H. (G1). The eight-year-old gelding had since undergone successful stem cell therapy, allowing him to resume training and mount a return to the racing wars. Lava Man had been working well at his Hollywood Park base, and O’Neill had hoped that he had developed enough fitness to give a good account of himself in his reappearance. Lava Man showed his customary dash to secure the early lead in the San Gabriel, and attempted to dig down when challenged by eventual winner Proudinsky (Ger) (Silvano [Ger]) turning for home, but ran out of steam and was beaten a total of 6 1/4 lengths. “He had a gash on his hind right tibia when he came back, but I don’t think that caused anything,” O’Neill said immediately after the race. “It looks like he hit the side of the gate leaving there.”

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.