Fired-Up Lava Man Sets Record in Win

The way Lava Man ran in the $150,000 Khaled Stakes on Sunday at Hollywood Park, his owners and trainer Doug O’Neill have some exciting options for the rest of 2006.

A multiple Grade I winner on the main track since being claimed for $50,000 by Jason Wood and Steve and Dave Kenly, Lava Man might have some important turf victories in his future given his record-setting performance on the Gold Rush Day program.

Making his first start on grass in more than a year, the son of Slew City Slew dominated seven fellow California-breds on his way to a 5 1/4 -length victory. Ridden with confidence by regular jockey Corey Nakatani, the 7-10 favorite ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:44.26, eclipsing the record of 1:44.78 set by Fastness on Nov. 25, 1995.

The winner of two $1-million races at Santa Anita this year, including the Santa Anita Handicap, Lava Man tracked the quick pace set by longshot Skywalker Red, disposed of that one nearing the stretch and drew away. He ran his final eighth of a mile in less than 12 seconds.

“Wow, what a performance,” Nakatani said. “He proved that he is an unbelievable horse. I was trying to make sure he was focused and running through the lane and that is exactly what we were doing. He’s just a warrior out there.”

The win was the fourth in nine starts on the grass for Lava Man, whose primary goal at this point is a defense of his title in the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on July 8.

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The news wasn’t as good for O’Neill in the day’s richest race, the $250,000 Snow Chief.

Less than 30 minutes after Lava Man’s win was official, Sam’s Ace, the odds-on favorite in the Snow Chief, was pulled up by jockey Alex Solis on the far turn after incurring an injury to his right front ankle. The injury was not considered life-threatening.

Da Stoops, who was making his first start past a mile, easily won the 1 1/8 -mile race, completing the distance in 1:49.45 under jockey Victor Espinoza. It was the fourth win in 11 starts for the 3-year-old Distorted Humor colt, who is trained by Bob Baffert for owners Paul Weitman and Ken Watson. Fighting City Hall, a 7-1 shot, finished second, 5 1/4 lengths behind Da Stoops.

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Other winners on the Gold Rush program included heavily favored Proposed in the $150,000 B. Thoughtful; Memorette, who upset Dancing Edie and Moscow Burning in the $150,000 Fran’s Valentine; Lucky J.H., the 7-5 choice, who had to survive a stewards’ inquiry before his win in the $150,000 Tiznow was official, and favored She’s An Eleven, who won the $200,000 Melair.

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Trainer Mike Harrington, who always does well at Hollywood Park, had a pair of upsets on the Sunday card. He won the $60,000 Magali Farms with 24-1 shot Tyrolean Empress and the $70,000 Barretts with 10-1 outsider Swiss Address.

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Funny Cide, the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, ended an eight-race losing streak with a victory in the $65,625 King’s Point Handicap on the closing day card at Aqueduct.

Ridden by Richard Migliore, the 6-year-old Distorted Humor gelding, who had been winless since taking the Jockey Club Gold Cup on Oct. 2, 2004, battled back after surrendering the lead to beat 9--5 second choice Gold and Roses by three-quarters of a length. He paid $3.20 as the 3-5 favorite.