Lava Man heavy favorite for Cal Cup Classic

Lava Man will try to get back to his winning ways in the Cal Cup (Benoit Photo) Multiple Grade 1 hero LAVA MAN (Slew City Slew) has been installed as the heavy 7-5 morning line favorite for Oak Tree’s $250,000 California Cup Classic, the featured event of eight stakes and two starter handicaps that make up the California Cup XVIII program on Saturday. With all of his experience running over California tracks, Lava Man owns just one start on Cal Cup day, that coming as a close second in the 2004 Classic. It was in the next year that the dark bay began making a real name for himself, winning the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) and Californian S. (G2). He dominated the Southern Californian handicap ranks in 2006, capturing another Gold Cup as well as the Santa Anita H. (G1), Pacific Classic (G1), Charles Whittingham Memorial (G1) and Goodwood Breeders’ Cup H. (G2). So far this year, the Doug O’Neill trainee has added a second Big Cap and third Hollywood Gold Cup to his record. However, he’s not performed as well in his past two, finishing sixth in the Pacific Classic and Oak Tree Mile (G2). O’Neill has changed his six-year-old charge’s normal routine in hopes of getting the old Lava Man back.

“We’ve tried something new, exercising Lava Man on Hollywood Park’s training
track,” he said, crediting assistant Leandro Mora for the idea. “I think this
has livened Lava Man up a little. He’s sound and he should run a big race
Saturday. If not, maybe he’ll need a little breather.”

The massive gelding has thrown in poor performances in the past, but those
came over non-Golden State tracks. O’Neill added that nothing has been planned
for Lava Man after the Classic.

“It’s kind of the old cliche, but we’re taking it one race at a time. We’ll
see how things go Saturday and take it from there.”

CELTIC DREAMIN (Game Plan) jumped up in a big way last out with a 5
1/2-length victory in the British Columbia Breeders Cup Derby (Can-G3) at
Hastings Park. The once-beaten sophomore spent his five races prior to that race
in California, racking up a 3-1-0-0 mark from four starts on the new synthetic
surfaces. He’ll try to continue his current form in the Cal Cup Classic as the
8-1 third choice on the morning line.

Another long shot contender is 12-1 ADD HEAT (Unusual Heat), who posted a
half-length score last out in an allowance/optional claimer at Oak Tree going 10
furlongs. The former claimer will shorten up a furlong in this 1 1/8-mile test
for trainer Barry Abrams.

“It’s an exciting day,” Abrams said. “Lava Man will be tough to beat, but if
we finish second or third, we’ll be happy. It’s the first stakes race for Add
Heat, but he’s coming up to it great and he likes this Cushion Track.”

Add Heat will get a 10-pound weight break from Lava Man, who will tote the
top weight of 124 pounds under regular rider Corey Nakatani.

RUSH WITH THUNDER (Tribal Rule) capped a four-race win streak in the El Cajon
S. before falling short by 3 1/4 lengths in sixth in an allowance at Oak Tree
most recently. The dark bay three-year-old drew the rail post at 12-1 under Omar
Berrio while carrying 114 pounds. Next in the gate will be FREESGOOD (Free
House), Mike Smith, 113, 20-1; CHEROOT (Smokester), Martin Pedroza, 118, 10-1;
Celtic Dreamin, Garrett Gomez, 115; TIZ AFIRE (Cee’s Tizzy), Joe Talamo, 116,
12-1; Add Heat, Tyler Baze; VALIANT EFFORT (Bertrando), Alex Solis, 114; 12-1;
SEMINOLE NATIVE (Lil Tyler), Brice Blanc, 114; 10-1; A GALLANT DISCOVER
(Discover), Richard Migliore, 115; 15-1; Lava Man; and BOLD CHIEFTAIN (Chief
Seattle), Russell Baze, 119; 5-1.

Somethinaboutlaura brings a four-race win streak into the Matron (Benoit Photo) The winners of last year’s Cal Cup Mile, Matron and Distance will all be returning on Saturday in search of a title defense. EPIC POWER (Epic Honor) hasn’t lost a step since taking last year’s Mile and will return in this season’s $175,000 edition off two wins and two seconds, all in stakes tests. SOMETHINABOUTLAURA (Dance Floor) has recorded back-to-back victories in the A Gleam Invitational H. (G2) over the past two seasons, and will try to do the same in the $150,000 Matron on Saturday. SPECIAL HEATHER (Truckee) made her stakes debut in the 2006 Cal Cup Distance, scoring by three parts of a length, but has started just once since, that coming as an off-the-board placing in the Solana Beach H. on August 25. Also returning in Saturday’s $100,000 Distance is last year’s runner-up, FORTUNATE EVENT (Event of the Year), who could get the job done this time around after moving up from third in the 2005 Distance to second in the 2006 running. WIND WATER (Bold Badgett) tested the Cal Cup waters in last year’s Cal Cup Starter Sprint H. and moves into the big leagues this time around when going in the $150,000 Sprint. The five-year-old chestnut brings a two-race win skein into the six-furlong test, taking the Bay Meadows Speed H and Governor’s Cup H. in his past two.

The $150,000
Distaff,
$125,000

Juvenile Fillies, $125,000
Juvenile
and , $50,000
Starter
H. comprise the rest of Cal Cup XVIII.