What was wrong with Lava Man?

Question

He looked really lousy! He takes to the artificial surface @ Hollywood well? Was he not sound? What does everyone think about how bad that race was for him?

Answer 1

I think that Lava Man may just need a lay-up to rest for a while.  In the spring, he had the trip to Dubai for the World Cup, and most horses seem to find the trip to Dubai and back again takes a lot out of them.  Then Lava Man has had a couple of hard races since then.  I think he just wasn't at his best in the Pacific Classic.

It's true that the new artificial surface at Del Mar seems to be playing deep and tiring, but I think that Lava Man needing a break was more of a factor than the track surface.  I think that had Lava Man come into the race fresh off a reasonable layoff, he'd have pinned his ears back and fought hard through the whole stretch when challenged in the Classic, rather than making a weak bid and then tiring.

Lava Man has shown that he hates to ship, so his connections have no reason to try to push him to go for any of the big races coming up in the east in the fall, or for the Breeder's Cup.  If I trained the horse, what I'd do now would be send him to an off-track lay-up center or ranch for some well-earned R&R.  I'd give him the whole rest of the summer and the autumn off, and then start to leg him up for the Santa Anita winter meet and the Santa Anita Handicap in March of 2008.  

I love Lava Man as a great regional champion and as an example of why geldings are good for racing.  He's never going to be a national champion, and IMHO that doesn't matter.  No horse wins 'em all, and I don't think his showing in the Pacific Classic was a disgrace-- just a sign that he needs time off.  Give him a chance and he'll be back, taking on anyone who cares to make the trip out to California to meet him on his home grounds.  Maybe next summer he'll notch up a 4th Hollywood Gold Cup.

As for the Del Mar track, my feeling is:  the welfare of the horses should be the primary consideration.  The artificial surface, according to all testimony, is doing what it is supposed to do:  decreasing the incidence of catastrophic or near-catastrophic breakdowns.  The punters and the handicappers and the trainers haven't quiet figured out how best to deal with the surface, but they will.  As long as horses aren't breaking down, I think it's a good thing and devloutly hope that the Del Mar management will not cave to the complaints of people who want to make the track play faster.

Answer 2

I was really surprised to see Lava Man finish in a disappointing sixth place. Everyone was blaming the Polytrack at Del Mar, saying that the speed horses such as Lava Man were not doing well on it and that the surface seems to favor stretch runners. As I was watching the race it looked almost like a turf race. The horses that made their move too soon faded fast and had nothing left whereas the horses that made their move at the very last second came on strong to win. Turf racing is a lot like this where the soft surface tires out the horses so the jockey has to wait until the last minute to make a move or he'll have no horse left. Lava Man's jockey started moving him out well before the homestretch. I can't help but think that his jockey miscalculated the way to ride on this deep surface and made a strategical error and expended Lava Man too soon. Sucks for Lava Man.

Answer 3

It's not like it's the first time Lava Man finished up the track.  Every time he ships out of state (or country), he runs a pretty ugly race.  

As for Nakatani, nobody knows this horse better than he...this monster of a horse wasn't at his best.  Who knows why...pace, track, ability?

Hopefully he rebounds, he's done so many times before, but there is also the real possibility that he's lost a step.

He's had an awesome career, but the day will come when he isn't as effective.

Answer 4

I actually thought that Nakatani rode Lava Man pretty well; he kept him just off the pace for the most part, but the problem was there were so many deep closers in that race that by the time he went to the lead, there were too many fresh horses to fend off.  I don't think Lava Man such ran a terrible race, it just wasn't his race to win.  Student Council had the most polytrack experience and it showed.

Answer 5

Personally I blame Corey Nakatani, but I can't stand him, so I blame him for several things, including global warming, my hair not behaving, and poor gas mileage. lol.

Seriously, it looks like the Polytrack at DelMar needs to be refigured a bit. It doesn't look quite right, and I know at Turfway, it had to be redone several times to be just right for racing. Tiago was scratched from that race because of the Polytrack.

I don't think it helps matters that C-Nak moved WAY too early.

Answer 6

well i missed that race . but the new polly track does slow down the horses and they are not able to run as fast as they realy do, but if they injure themselfs on the track they wont be as hurt. And then the horses are not used to the new track  but it is for the best. and then the jockeys have to let them go later at the last moment . so I think that every one has to get use to the new track and just learn how to move and when to move so they wont tier out the horses.