Cal-bred News

Lava Man Tries Classic-Turf Parlay

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 21, 2007) – Champion Lava Man, who launched a seven-race win streak last year in the Sunshine Millions Classic, leads the California-bred contingent entered in Saturday’s $500,000 San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino Sunshine Millions Turf at Santa Anita.

Lava Man is by Slew City Slew, out of the Nostalgia Star’s mare Li’l Ms. Leonard, was bred by Arterburn, Kuhlmann and Kuhlmann and is owned by STD Racing and Wood. He has 14 wins in 35 starts, earnings of $3,804,706 and is coming off a seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. A win in this race would make him only the third California-bred in history to earn more than $4 million, behind only Tiznow ($6,427,830) and Best Pal ($5,668,245).

Super Strut is by Lil Tyler, out of the Torsion mare Miss Chez Cheveaux, was bred by Madera Thoroughbreds and is owned by A and R Stables, Class Racing, Miller et al. He has six wins in 26 starts, earnings of $441,740 and is coming off a fifth in a Jan. 6 allowance. He was 10th in the Sunshine Millions Classic last year and finished eighth, but was placed to seventh through disqualification, in the Sunshine Millions Turf in 2005.

El Don is by Cee’s Tizzy, out of the Pretense mare Timed Perfectly and was bred by owners Harris Farms and Don Valpredo. He has seven wins in 25 starts, earnings of $455,441 and is coming off a third in the Dec. 16 Val Royal and moved up to second via disqualification.

Multiple stakes winner Running Free is by Soft Gold, out of the Mukaddamah mare Baby Grand and was bred by owner Southern Nevada Racing Stables. He has six wins in 26 starts, earnings of $430,492 and is coming off a third in a Jan. 6 allowance. He finished 12th in the 2005 Sunshine Millions Turf.

Jack’s Wild is by Lil Tyler, out of the Affirmed mare It’s Binnice, was bred by Madera Thoroughbreds and Kjelstrom and is owned by Venneri Racing. He has two wins in 21 starts, earnings of $149,325 and is coming off a fourth in a Dec. 10 optional claimer.

The leading Florida-bred contenders are Go Between and Revved Up.