Gold Rush

Lava Man Groomed to Win

By Larry Bortstein
Special to Orange County Register

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Apr. 25, 2008) -- Before each of his last three races, Lava Man had strong morning workouts, ate well and generally acted and looked like the same horse he’d been most of the three previous years. He finished sixth in those races, all as the heavy favorite, and didn’t act his typical competitive self at any point.

During his five-month sabbatical, Lava Man underwent comprehensive tests that showed, aside from signs of fatigue, there was no physical deterioration.

Trainer Doug O’Neill believes the return of groom Noe Garcia, Lava Man’s most constant human companion, might be the key to the return of the 7-year-old California-bred gelding’s (Slew City Slew-Lil Ms Leonard, by Nostalgia’s Star) winning form.

Lava Man, who hasn’t raced since Nov. 3, will return to competition Sunday in the $150,000 TVG Khaled Stakes. The 1 1/8-mile turf event is one of 10 races for California-bred runners on a $1.3 million card.

Garcia recently returned to work at O’Neill’s Hollywood Park barn after having his left arm severed below the shoulder when his van was struck by a drunk driver on a freeway near Del Mar early on the morning of July 23.

"Lava Man can’t talk to us," O’Neill said, "but he stopped running well after Noe was hurt and we think one of the big reasons was that he missed Noe."

A native of Guatemala, Garcia, 40, has been Lava Man’s regular groom since the horse was claimed for $50,000 at Del Mar on Aug. 11, 2004. Since then, he has fed, rubbed, bathed and walked the horse through a series of races that have produced three consecutive victories in the Hollywood Gold Cup, 14 victories in 32 starts, and most of his career bankroll of $5,214,706. Overall, he has won 17 times in 43 trips to the post.

Lava Man often awakens in an agitated state before dawn, O’Neill said. "That’s when he’s a little tough to handle," the trainer said. "The groom who replaced Noe didn’t do anything technically wrong, but he wasn’t Noe. Noe is a man of few words and Lava Man likes his quiet style and mannerisms. He never yells at him. There’s definitely an animal-human connection. Lava Man seems enthusiastic and happy again."

Speaking in Spanish through another groom, Garcia said, "He’s better with me. I say, ‘Easy, Lava Man’ and he listens to me. He’s my friend and I’m his friend."

Garcia, a father of four, has been fitted with a prosthetic left arm to which he still is adjusting. "But most of the work a groom does is right-handed," O’Neill said. "When you walk a horse, you hold the rein with your right hand. Noe’s doing fine."

In Sunday’s TVG Khaled, in which he has five opponents, Lava Man will be seeking his first victory since his success in last year’s Hollywood Gold Cup tied Native Diver’s 1966-1968 record of three consecutive victories in the track’s most important race.

Jockey Corey Nakatani, who has been Lava Man’s regular rider since late 2005, will be aboard for the 18th time.

His triumph in the 2006 Khaled began a campaign which produced an unprecedented sweep of the Santa Anita Handicap, Hollywood Gold Cup and Del Mar’s Pacific Classic.

Lava Man’s dull effort in the 2007 Pacific Classic was the first of three straight sixth-place finishes that also included the Oak Tree Mile and the Cal Cup Classic.

Lava Man has been a poor road warrior, failing to win any of his five starts outside California, including trips to Japan and Dubai. The horse isn’t likely to leave his home state again.

"We don’t want to get way ahead of ourselves," said Steve Kenly of Phoenix, who owns Lava Man in partnership with his father Dave and Jason Wood, a resident of Rancho Margarita, Calif.

"But the Breeders’ Cup is here (at Santa Anita on Oct. 25) this year. If he should come back to his old form, we’d certainly think about that.

"And, of course, there’s the possibility of trying to win the Hollywood Gold Cup for the fourth year in a row. But we know this horse can’t go on indefinitely and we’re grateful for what he’s done for us. We’ll see how much he has left Sunday."