Lava Man feels right at home

Given Lava Man was running in California, the predictable happened Saturday in the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Turf at Santa Anita.

The 6-year-old gelding, going off at 7-10, won his eighth in a row in his home state, beating 26-1 longshot Icy Atlantic by two lengths in 1:47.60 for the 1 1/8 miles.

The last time Lava Man lost in California was when he finished third, beaten less than a length, in the $1-million Pacific Classic on Aug. 21, 2005, at Del Mar.

Positioned close to the moderate pace set by the overmatched Wild Buddy, Lava Man and jockey Corey Nakatani took the lead about a quarter of a mile from the wire and went on to his sixth victory in 12 starts on grass. Overall, he has won 15 of 36 and has earned $4,079,706, most of that money coming since he was claimed for $50,000 in the summer of 2004 by trainer Doug O’Neill for owners Steve, Tracy and Dave Kenly’s STD Stable and Jason Wood.

Nakatani is certainly taken with the horse he labels the best he has ever ridden.

“He was the Lava Man of old,” he said. “He’s surpassed John Henry and he’s surpassed many good horses in doing the things he did last year. He’s a champion, and I’m sure NBC is going to be making a movie about him.

“He’ll always have a place in my heart and, hopefully, I’ll be telling my grandkids about him someday. He’s a warrior. There’s not much more you can say about him.”

*

The biggest surprise in the Sunshine Millions was provided in Florida in the richest race by a horse with a strong Santa Anita connection.

McCann’s Mojave, a 33-1 longshot who was bred and is owned by the track’s director of publicity, Mike Willman, won his third in a row, taking the $1-million Classic by three-quarters of a length at Gulfstream Park.

Sixth in the race a year earlier when it was run in Arcadia, the 7-year-old son of Memo, whose most significant victory previously had come in the 2005 California Cup Classic, won for the 10th time in 24 starts, running the 1 1/8 miles under jockey Frank Alvarado.

Sent north by Willman late last year after losing five consecutive races, McCann’s Mojave has been rejuvenated with trainer Steve Specht, who said the largest purse he’d ever won before Saturday was $150,000.

*

What was supposed to be a showdown between Bordonaro and Proud Tower Too in the $300,000 Sprint turned into a showcase for Smokey Stover.

Owned by Harry Aleo and trained by Greg Gilchrist, who lost the Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Lost In The Fog last year to cancer, Smokey Stover is a more than capable replacement for the late superstar.

Never too far off the fast fractions set by Proud Tower Too, the 4-year-old Put It Back gelding and 7-1 longshot took charge through the stretch and won by 3 1/4 lengths in 1:08.03, the fastest clocking in the five-year history of the Sunshine Millions Sprint. Aaron Gryder rode Smokey Stover, who has five victories in nine starts and has been second in his four losses.

Proud Tower Too re-rallied for the place over 11-10 favorite Bordonaro, who has lost three of his last four after winning four in a row.

“When he first came on the track, Greg wasn’t sure who was better, him or Lost In The Fog,” said Aleo, 87. “It’s exciting. Even though he is a Florida-bred, this is a nice shot in the arm for Northern California.”

*

The Turf wasn’t the only Sunshine Millions victory for O’Neill.

In the first of the four races at Santa Anita, Mistical Plan, the 2-1 favorite, was up to beat 10-1 longshot Tiz Elemental by a nose in the $250,000 Oaks.

One race later, Joint Effort, a 6-1 longshot making her California debut, rolled to a five-length victory over 6-5 choice Take D’Tour and 10 others in the $500,000 Distaff.

*

Besides McCann’s Mojave, the other winners at Gulfstream Park were Storm In May, a 25-1 longshot who rallied from far back to win the $250,000 Dash, Shaggy Mane, an 8-1 longshot and former $8,000 claimer who led throughout and won the $300,000 Filly and Mare Sprint, and Miss Shop, the 5-1 winner of the $500,000 Filly and Mare Turf.

*

bob.mieszerski@latimes.com