Lava Man and Sam’s Ace Are Staying Home

For the time being, there will be no trips for Lava Man and Sam’s Ace.

Lava Man, who began his year with victories in two $1-million races, one the Santa Anita Handicap, will remain in California instead of heading east for the Pimlico Special on May 19.

Sam’s Ace, a 3-year-old In Excess colt, also is staying home, his handlers opting out of a possible start in the Kentucky Derby a week from today.

Lava Man and Sam’s Ace are trained by Doug O’Neill and the thoroughbreds will be in action Sunday at Hollywood Park as part of the track’s annual Gold Rush program. The Gold Rush is a series of 10 races restricted to California-breds with purses totaling $1.31 million.

A $50,000 claim by O’Neill in summer 2004, Lava Man will return to the turf Sunday in the $150,000 Khaled Stakes at 1 1/8 miles.

This would seem an odd spot for the 5-year-old son of Slew City Slew, who has spent the last year running in nothing but significant stakes on dirt. Since last June 18, Lava Man has won four of seven on the main track. Besides the Sunshine Millions Classic and ‘Big Cap, he won the Californian and Hollywood Gold Cup at Hollywood Park.

Winning the Gold Cup for a second time is the immediate goal for Lava Man. Beginning that quest in the Khaled is the road that O’Neill says best suits a gelding who has won nine of 29 and earned $2,184,706.

The 124-pound highweight in the Khaled, Lava Man is hardly unproven on the grass. He has won three of nine on the surface, but this will be his first appearance on the Hollywood Park turf course.

“Sometimes you use a grass race as a prep or starting ground for a horse because the fractions are kinder early on the turf,” O’Neill said. “They usually go slow early, then sprint home. On the dirt, you have to run hard all the way. Our main target with him is trying to repeat in the Gold Cup.

“If he runs well in this race, the plan is to come back in the Californian” on June 17 “and then the Gold Cup.”

Corey Nakatani, who was aboard Lava Man for his two big wins in Arcadia, will ride again Sunday.

Lava Man got his first taste of the new Hollywood Park turf course six days ago when he breezed five furlongs in 1:03 4/5 .

The Khaled, which drew eight others, will be the first grass start for Lava Man since he finished fifth in the Crystal Water Handicap on March 12, 2005, at Santa Anita.

Sam’s Ace will be competing in the richest race on the Gold Rush card, the $250,000 Snow Chief.

The 1 1/8 -mile race attracted seven other 3-year-olds, including Da Stoops, who will be running beyond a mile for the first time.

A possibility for the May 20 Preakness should things go well on Sunday, Sam’s Ace will be running for the first time since finishing fourth in the Florida Derby on April 1 at Gulfstream Park. In his first race outside California, Sam’s Ace, despite breaking from the No. 11 post position, which is a horrible place to be running 1 1/8 miles at Gulfstream, was beaten by only 5 3/4 lengths by Barbaro, who will be one of the favorites in the Kentucky Derby.

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O’Neill will have starters in three other Gold Rush races. He will send out Areyoutalkintome in the $150,000 Tiznow, Cyber Slew in the $150,000 Fran’s Valentine and Marciamarciamarcia in the $200,000 Melair.

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The main event on today’s card at Hollywood Park is the $100,000 Inglewood Handicap. A Grade III at 1 1/16 miles on turf, the Inglewood features the return of Red Fort, second by a nose, in the race a year ago.

Trained by Neil Drysdale, Red Fort has been idle since finishing second to Sweet Return in the Charlie Whittingham Memorial Handicap last June 11.

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First Samurai, declared out of the Kentucky Derby after a disappointing effort in the Blue Grass Stakes on April 15 at Keeneland, has been found to have two cracked ribs. The 3-year-old colt probably suffered the injury when he hit the gate at the beginning of the Blue Grass.

First Samurai will miss at least four weeks of training.