THOROUGHBRED BEAT
AUGUST 24, 2006
by James Scully
Lava Terrific — LAVA MAN (Slew City Slew) has etched his spot in the
history books with an unprecedented campaign this year in Southern California
(first to sweep the three major events for older horses in the same season), and
he’s come a long way from the end of last year. In 2005, Lava Man lost his first
three starts before winning an allowance/optional claiming in May. He then
captured the Californian S. (G2) and Hollywood Gold Cup (G1), earning a 112 BRIS
Speed rating for his smashing 8 3/4-length victory in the latter. Lava Man ran
well when third in last year’s Pacific Classic (G1), but he tailed off badly in
his next two starts, getting buried by 45 1/2 lengths when seventh in the Jockey
Club Gold Cup (G1) and finishing a well-beaten 11th in the Japan Cup Dirt
(Jpn-G1). His overseas trip to Japan came in late November, but Lava Man was
surprisingly back in action 63 days later in the Sunshine Millions Classic in
late January. The way he’s bounced back this year has been nothing short of
spectacular. The Doug O’Neill charge won easily from off the pace in the
Sunshine Millions, and he’s now compiled six straight stakes wins in 2006,
adding to the total with a dominant performance in Sunday’s Pacific Classic.
Lava Man won the Santa Anita H. (G1) earlier this year in similar fashion,
blowing the rest of the field away with a devastating turn of foot on the far
turn that propelled him into a daylight advantage in upper stretch, and the
gutsy five-year-old gelding proved his mettle in his race before the Pacific
Classic, winning the 1 1/4-mile Hollywood Gold Cup by a nose after stumbling at
the start and experiencing a rough trip. Claimed for $50,000 in August of 2004 at
Del Mar, Lava Man returned to the same site two years later with a Pacific
Classic victory that will long be remembered. I can’t wait to see where this
unbelievable season leads next.
Champion sprinter — With tumors on his spine and spleen, LOST IN THE
FOG (Lost Soldier) has returned home to his stall at Golden Gate Fields, and
he’ll be treated royally in trainer Greg Gilchrist’s stable for as long as he
doesn’t suffer, which could be months, weeks or only days. I’ll always remember
his 2005 campaign, when he seemingly shipped back and forth from Northern
California to either New York or Florida every couple of weeks, winning eight
straight stakes before suffering his only loss in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).
He earned tremendous BRIS Speed ratings (106-106-107-108-107-114-109-109 in his
victories) and wound up being named a very deserving winner of the Eclipse
Award. Lost in the Fog raced only three times this year, and his performance in
the Aristides Breeders’ Cup H. (G3) is a testament to his quality. Despite being
afflicted with growing tumors, Lost in the Fog overwhelmed a solid group of
rivals at Churchill Downs on June 3, completing six furlongs in 1:08 2/5 for an
easy 1 1/4-length score. What a gallant effort it was.
Scott — After two of the first three turf races at Saratoga on Saturday were
won by front runners, MARIEVAL (El Prado [Ire]) received a heady ride from Mike
Luzzi to capture the nightcap, racing close to the pace before pouncing at the
top of the stretch. The three-year-old filly entered the 1 1/8-mile allowance
off a maiden special weight victory on the main track at Mountaineer Park, but
savvy handicappers were aware that trainer Joan Scott knows how to spot her
horses and were able to catch Marieval at 8-1. Scott, who worked for trainers
Nick Zito and Carl Nafzger before opening her own stable in 2002, has been one
of the most successful trainers at Tampa Bay Downs the past two seasons and is
always dangerous with shippers, winning at an overall 25 percent rate, including
a gaudy nine-for-32 clip (32 percent win) this year. The last time Scott sent a
horse to New York, Freefourinternet captured the 2003 Kelso Breeders’ Cup H.
(G2) at 20-1. She’s now two-for-two in the Empire State.
Park Avenue in Jersey — PARK AVENUE BALL (Citidancer) reaffirmed his
love for the Jersey Shore with a victory in Saturday’s Philip H. Iselin Breeders’ Cup H.
(G3), notching his third stakes victory this year at Monmouth Park.
One-for-eight in his career outside the friendly confines, Park Avenue Ball has
compiled a 9-6-2-1 career mark over his favorite track, with his only setbacks
over the last two years being a runner-up finish to Grade 1 winner Flower Alley
(Distorted Humor) in the Salvatore Mile (G3) and a third behind Roman Ruler and
Sun King (Charismatic) in the 2005 Haskell Invitational H. (G1). The Jim
Ryerson-trained colt has consistently smoked his competition in every other
start.
Travers anticipation — Are you getting excited about Saturday’s
Travers S. (G1)? BERNARDINI (A.P. Indy) has raced only five times in his career
and recorded super-impressive wins in his last two, the Preakness S. (G1) and
Jim Dandy S. (G2). After watching him crush his rivals in those starts, I want
to know how good Bernardini really is. Is he going to continue to perform like a
monster the rest of the year while stepping up to face older rivals like Lava
Man and Invasor (Arg) (Candy Stripes)? In order to get a better gauge, he needs
to face a quality opponent in the 1 1/4-mile Travers. Well, the second-best
sophomore in training will be in the race, and BLUEGRASS CAT (Storm Cat) looks
ferocious. He wasn’t on form earlier this year at Tampa Bay Downs or in the Blue
Grass S. (G1) at Keeneland, but Bluegrass Cat started to come around when second
to Barbaro in the Kentucky Derby (G1). After recording a solid runner-up finish
in the Belmont S. (G1) next out, he was freshened for two months and blossomed
in the interim. Bluegrass Cat returned to the races with a career-best showing
in the August 6 Haskell Invitational H. (G1), winning with consummate ease in a
magnificent seven-length trouncing, and he figures to improve off the tightener.
All reports indicate that Bluegrass Cat has continued to train forwardly since
then, and Todd Pletcher will have him primed for his best in the Travers. It
could be a great race.