How good is Lava Man?

[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by FairPlay

Sunshine Millions at Gulfstream was before being fit with blinkers. He's lost 3 times since the blinkers: Pacific Classic where he was vanned off the track after setting insane fractions; JCGC where he was probably rushed back too soon to the races after the PC and wasn't given any time to settle in at the barn at Belmont and he bled in that race; and the Japan Cup where all he did was tear off his foot, left a trail of blood from the track back to his barn, and left the Kenlys and Wood thinking about retiring him.

He's won 9 of his last 12 and won nearly $3.3 Million in those 12 races.

He's the richest horse of a claim in history by daylight now over Budroyale.

He's the first horse since an Eclipse winner named Vanlandingham in 1985 to win a Grade 1 on dirt and turf in the same year in North America.

He's the first horse in 40 years to win back to back Hollywood Gold Cups (Native Diver) and he's the first horse to win back to back summer Hollywood Park Horse of the Meet awards in 40 years, too.

He's the first horse since the last Triple Crown winner, Affirmed, to win the Santa Anita Handicap and Hollywood Gold Cup in the same year.

He's the first horse since Exceller to win the Whittingham/Turf Invitational and Hollywood Gold Cup in the year.

He's the first horse ever to sweep the SA 'Cap, HGC, and Pacific Classic in the same year.

You put it altogether and ask how good he is? He's a great horse. Period. You can all demean, show hate, debate, but history is on his side. I'm sure that some knuckleheads were questioning Best Pal or John Henry, but, fortunately, they didn't have Internet bulletin boards for anonymous know-it-alls back then.

You can do the same "who did he beat" crap with Cigar - let's see the only two real horses were probably Holy Bull who broke down in the Donn and Best Pal who was at the end of the road. And think of it, when he faced Skip Away in the JCGC, he lost. Cigar must've been a fraud, right guys? Concern was a fluke BC Classic winner just as Giacomo was a fluke KY Derby winner. Let's see who else Cigar beat? Wekiva Springs, Silver Goblin, La Carriere, Soul of the Matter ... none of them will be going in the HOF any time soon.

Lava Man, so far in his wins, has defeated the JCGC and Pacific Classic Winner, Borrego; Breeders' Cup Juvenile Winner, Wilko; Kentucky Derby Winner, Giacomo; Santa Anita Derby Winner, Buzzard's Bay; Grade 1 winners: Good Reward, Perfect Drift, and King's Drama. None of these dudes are going in the HOF either, but it's not like that he's only faced Grade 3 horses.

I'm NOT comparing Lava Man to Cigar as that would be ridiculous, but I am stating that the moronic b.s. about "who did he beat" should play no role whatsoever in demeaning a horse who has achieved things not seen ever or not seen for one or two generations on the track. The accomplishments speak volumes.

You are right, I'd forgotten he beat Giacomo AND Wilko. It takes a real monster to accomplish that.