NEWS
Lava Man lands historic Hollywood Gold Cup victory
Posted: Saturday, June 30, 2007 10:00 PM
LAVA MAN
Benoit & Associates photo
by Mike Curry
Lava Man needed every millimeter of the Hollywood Park stretch on Saturday to make racing history with his third consecutive victory in the Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes (G1).
The six-year-old California-bred gelding dug in resolutely in the final furlong to nip pacesetter A. P. Xcellent by a nose and match the feat of Native Diver, who became the first horse to win three straight Hollywood Gold Cups (1965-’67).
"It's not like driving cars," said winning jockey Corey Nakatani. "Lava Man has got to do the work. I was doing everything I could do to keep him out of trouble and get him into the perfect striking position.
"I think he deserves [a statue in the paddock]. For him to do something that's only been done once in the history of Hollywood Park, that's pretty special."
Lava Man, who is trained by Doug O'Neill for owners STD Racing Stable and Jason Wood, broke sharply under Nakatani in the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup and settled into an ideal stalking position behind A. P. Xcellent, who set a measured pace under jockey Mike Smith through a half-mile in :48.75.
Grade 1 winner Wilko, Saint Stephen, and A. P. Arrow rated behind Lava Man, who raced comfortably from off the rail.
Lava Man, who conceded nine pounds to A. P. Xcellent as the 124-pound highweight, rallied alongside the pacesetter approaching the stretch. The Slew City Slew gelding charged to the lead leaving the turn but found he had a willing opponent.
A. P. Xcellent dug in determinedly from the inside and regained the lead by a head at the eighth pole. Lava Man refused to relent, however, as Big Booster surged ahead to join the mix from the outside. In the closing strides, Lava Man pushed his nose in front of A. P. Xcellent while holding off fast-closing Big Booster to take his place alongside Native Diver in the annals of California racing history.
Sent off as the 7-to-5 favorite, Lava Man completed the 1 1/4-mile race in 2:03.21 on Hollywood’s Cushion Track all-weather surface.
A. P. Xcellent held off Big Booster by three-quarters of a length to finish second. Multiple Grade 2 winner Molengao (Brz) was sent off as the 8-to5 second choice in the nine-horse field and finished in a dead heat for fourth with Porfido (Chi).
Lava Man entered the Hollywood Gold Cup off a runner-up finish to After Market on the turf at Hollywood in the Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap (G1) on June 9. The defeat halted Lava Man’s nine-race California winning streak.
Lava Man improved to 17 wins in 40 starts and boosted his earnings to $5,189,706. Bred in California by Lonnie Arterburn, Eve Kuhlman, and Kim Kuhlman, Lava Man is out of the winning Nostalgia’s Star mare Li’l Ms. Leonard.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times daily news editor
