Lava Man to Get Final Tuneup

One more time for Lava Man on California soil today, then the whole thing can be decided on Kentucky dirt.

Today, the Cinderella claimer runs his final prep for the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs, the $500,000 Goodwood Breeders’ Cup Handicap during another big weekend for the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita.

Other highlights of today’s card include Aragorn, the top-ranked turf miler in the United States, in the $250,000 Oak Tree Breeders’ Cup Mile, and sprinters Bordonaro and Pure As Gold going at it again in the $250,000 Ancient Title Breeders’ Cup Stakes.

Sunday, Del Mar Futurity winner Horse Greeley and Principle Secret -- the only horse to beat him -- square off in the Norfolk Breeders’ Cup Stakes for 2-year-olds.

No horse has won more money in North American races this year than Lava Man, with $2.47 million. But until the 5-year-old gelding wins a race outside the Golden State -- he’s 0 for 3 lifetime -- he’ll have his detractors, despite having swept the Santa Anita Handicap, Hollywood Gold Cup and Pacific Classic.

“Obviously, we hope he’ll win, but if he doesn’t, the skeptics will be barking,” trainer Doug O’Neill said.

Lava Man is the 4-5 morning-line favorite in a seven-horse field that includes Kentucky Derby runner Brother Derek and 2005 Derby winner Giacomo. But the biggest competition might be skepticism from the East, where some question the quality of Lava Man’s West Coast rivals and his past troubles shipping.

If Lava Man is beaten today, his best excuse might be that he will be carrying 126 pounds, 11 more than 3-1 second-choice Brother Derek.

Lava Man has lost both times he carried 126 pounds, but O’Neill attributed his seventh-place finish in last year’s Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park to bleeding and his 11th-place disaster in the Japan Cup the next month to a foot injury.

“He’s doing well, and he’s so darn consistent we feel more excited and eager than we are concerned,” he said. “If he runs well in a losing effort, he’s still done enough for us to think he deserves to go for horse-of-the-year honors. I think whoever wins the Classic will be the favorite.

“If he didn’t win [today], we could answer back with the weight issue or we didn’t want to peak too early. He’s definitely coming in solid, but it’s not equal weight, it’s not a mile and a quarter -- and it’s not the first week in November.”

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robyn.norwood@latimes.com