I think he should be in the Hall of Fame...and he will probably get in eventually.
Too many top horses get shielded from tough spots, avoid travel, and dodge spots here, there, and everywhere.
For 3 years -- Lava Man danced all of the major dances and dominated in Southern California. The fact that he also traveled to Japan, Dubai, New York, Gulfstream, and Churchill for competition away from home shouldn't be held against him. He just couldn't perform at all away from home.
Obviously the connections of Lava Man had no reputation to micro-manage and protect. He was a gelding -- so any defeat wouldn't hurt his stud value. He also certainly wasn't a horse with an undefeated record -- so they had no reason to handle him and campaign him in an unsportsmanlike fashion like others trying to protect a record.
Lava Man got a bad break that the Breeders Cup wasn't held for two years consecutively at Santa Anita when he was in his prime. He would have been very competitive even with horses like Invasor and Bernardini at home.
He would have won at least one Breeders Cup Classic at home. Saint Liam and Flower Alley weren't coming into Santa Anita or Hollywood Park and challenging him. Saint Liam bombed in the Big Cap that Rock Hard Ten won. Lava Man at home VS Bernardini and Invasor the following year would have been a great match-up.
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