Lava Man Sizzles Again

A former $50,000 claimer won the $1-million Santa Anita Handicap on Saturday.

In doing so, Lava Man, trained by Doug O’Neill and ridden by Corey Nakatani, took his career earnings over the $2-million mark. As investments go, the 5-year-old gelding is proving to be a good ride.

“It really is a dream come true,” said co-owner Steve Kenly, who claimed the horse at Del Mar in 2004 for what, in racing terms, amounts to little more than loose change. “From a claimer to the Big ‘Cap. It’s amazing.”

Lava Man’s win in front of 49,089 was not only his second in a row in a $1-million race, but one of the horses he left in his wake was Giacomo, winner of the 2005 Kentucky Derby.

Saturday’s on-track attendance was the largest at Santa Anita -- except for the Breeders’ Cup -- since 1990, when 50,023 showed up for the Santa Anita Handicap.

A California-bred by Slew City Slew out of Li’l Ms. Leonard, Lava Man took the lead approaching the quarter pole and broke clear when they turned into the stretch. Magnum, with Jon Court aboard, came up on the inside and made a game run at the leader, but could not catch him.

Lava Man won by three-quarters of a length, with the Argentine-bred Magnum second, 7 1/2 lengths in front of third-place Wilko, ridden by Garrett Gomez.

On a fast track that had dried out well from Friday’s rain, Lava Man covered the 1 1/4 miles in 2:00.57 and paid $8.80, $5.40 and $4.60 in the 69th running of Santa Anita’s most prestigious race.

Rounding out the field of nine were, in order: High Limit, Giacomo, Texcess, Spellbinder, Marenostrum and With Distinction.

It was the second Santa Anita Handicap victory for Nakatani, who won aboard General Challenge in 2000. Asked what he was thinking as the field turned for home, Nakatani had a quick answer.

“How far we were going to win by,” he said.

“Turning for home, I shook the reins at him a little bit. He was probably three or four [lengths] in front at that point. When he felt the horse [Magnum] coming up on the inside, I switched sticks and gave him a little bit more and he just took me to the wire.”

O’Neill watched the race not from the owner’s box but from among the fans on the cement apron in front of the stands.

“I was going nuts,” the trainer said. “I was by myself, with a bunch of strangers. They were looking at me like, ‘Look at this idiot. I bet he’s got $2 to show.’ ”

The combination of O’Neill, Nakatani and Lava Man won the Sunshine Millions Classic on Jan. 28 for Kenly, who owns the gelding with his father, Dave, and Jason Wood.

The victory was no surprise, Nakatani said.

“I’ve never lost faith in this horse,” he said.

Lava Man suffered a foot injury in the Japan Cup in November and many wondered whether he would be competitive after his recovery. The Sunshine Millions dispelled those doubts and Saturday’s victory erased any that might have remained.

Kenly said the credit belongs as much to farrier Jim Jimenez as to anyone in the barn. It was Jimenez who nursed Lava Man’s left front foot back to health.

“When that foot was hurting him, he was not going to run, not going to train,” Kenly said. “There were definitely times when we thought it might take six or eight months to grow a new hoof. Jim just said, ‘Relax and let me do my job,’ and he did.”

Lava Man, the $50,000 claimer, joins the likes of Affirmed, Round Table, John Henry, Alysheba and other storied horses.

“I can’t even imagine it,” O’Neill said, “but we’re in the Big ‘Cap books and they can’t take that away from us. It’s a great feeling.”

Court was satisfied with second place on Magnum. At least so he said.

“I kept thinking I could catch him,” he said of Lava Man. “But the last few strides to the wire, I knew I was beaten. But second is better than third, especially in a $1-million race.”

Third was fine for Wilko, who had not won in eight races since winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in 2004.

As for Giacomo, who was trying to become only the fifth Derby winner to win the Big ‘Cap and the first since Alysheba in 1988, jockey Mike Smith had no excuse.

“He just didn’t fire, didn’t lay it down,” Smith said. “I’m at a loss for words to tell what happened.”

With Distinction led for the first half mile but fell back and was eased to the finish. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said the son of Storm Cat had a breathing problem.