Hollywood Gold Cup

[Buffymommy]

Originally Posted by paisjpq

Buffy i am not saying he's not great. I am saying he doesn't ship well and therefore doesn't perfrom well outside Cali. therefore he leaves himself open to being labled a specialist.

I didn't mean you in particular. Just in general for the board. Just warning him not to open a can of worms.

[2Hot4TV]

Originally Posted by Buffymommy

I didn't mean you in particular. Just in general for the board. Just warning him not to open a can of worms.

Buffy my point is that how much does HOY pay? The horse is a gelding and when you are in the claiming game it is to win money and go to the winners circle. Why run Lava Man into the ground to prove that he can ship and win? The grass really is not greener and the money is the same.

[paisjpq]

Originally Posted by 2Hot4TV

Buffy my point is that how much does HOY pay? The horse is a gelding and when you are in the claiming game it is to win money and go to the winners circle. Why run Lava Man into the ground to prove that he can ship and win? The grass really is not greener and the money is the same.

because std racing probably wants it and O'neill probably wants it and HOY doesn't pay but the BCC sure does.

[Buffymommy]

Originally Posted by paisjpq

because std racing probably wants it and O'neill probably wants it and HOY doesn't pay but the BCC sure does.

The BCC is what they want not the HOY. Although as an owner, it would be nice to own a HOY but I think I would rather have a BC Classic winner. The pay is better.

[paisjpq]

Originally Posted by Buffymommy

The BCC is what they want not the HOY. Although as an owner, it would be nice to own a HOY but I think I would rather have a BC Classic winner. The pay is better.

that's actaully what I meant Buffy...just wasn't clear. However in this day and age it's difficult to get one without the other.

[Buffymommy]

Originally Posted by paisjpq

that's actaully what I meant Buffy...just wasn't clear. However in this day and age it's difficult to get one without the other.

sooo true. Kinda sad isn't it? Horse can win all year but lose the BCC and still lose HOY awards. But that's racing.

[2Hot4TV]

Originally Posted by paisjpq

because std racing probably wants it and O'neill probably wants it and HOY doesn't pay but the BCC sure does.

Lava Man was pointed towards the Sunshine Million with a possible Santa Anita handicap win and they got that. It is almost imposible to sweep all the big races nation wide. There are other horses that are pointing towards that race and will have a form cycle advantage over any horse that has raced all year long. They should turn him out for freshing.

[paisjpq]

Originally Posted by 2Hot4TV

Lava Man was pointed towards the Sunshine Million with a possible Santa Anita handicap win and they got that. It is almost imposible to sweep all the big races nation wide. There are other horses that are pointing towards that race and will have a form cycle advantage over any horse that has raced all year long. They should turn him out for freshing.

I agree with you. But think that it is unlikely that they will pass up the opportunity to go if the horse is healthy.

[2Hot4TV]

The horse is telling them that it's time for a rest.

GOLD CUP WINNER LAVA MAN RETURNS TIRED BUT SOUND

Lava Man, who eked out a nose victory in a gutsy defense of his Hollywood Gold Cup crown Saturday, returned to his stall in the Doug O'Neill stable weary but healthy.

"He's tired but his legs were tight," said O'Neill Sunday. "He left some grain. He put his body down yesterday. He's not nearly as funky as he was yesterday."

After nearly stumbling to his knees at the start, Lava Man managed to recover and go on to a nose victory over longshot Ace Blue in the $750,000 Grade I test and join Native Diver as the only horse to win the prestigious race more than once in its 67-year history.

Native Diver won it three times in a row from 1965-67 and is buried under a monument in the Hollywood Park paddock. O'Neill, who was born one year after the legendary "Black Horse's" triple, hopes that Lava Man will be in position to duplicate that three-peat next July.

O'Neill, who is three-for-three in the Gold Cup after also winning in 2002 with Sky Jack, gave special credit to Noe Garcia, the groom during all three of those victories.

"He's a real quiet guy who has been with me four or five years," said O'Neill. "He's always the first to work and the last to leave."

O'Neill said he and his family celebrated the victory with dinner at an Islands restaurant. He said that if Lava Man, unbeaten in five starts this year, bounces back, he will make his next start in the $1-million Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 20. That race could also attract runners-up Ace Blue, Super Frolic and Magnum.

[paisjpq]

Originally Posted by 2Hot4TV

The horse is telling them that it's time for a rest.

GOLD CUP WINNER LAVA MAN RETURNS TIRED BUT SOUND

Lava Man, who eked out a nose victory in a gutsy defense of his Hollywood Gold Cup crown Saturday, returned to his stall in the Doug O'Neill stable weary but healthy.

"He's tired but his legs were tight," said O'Neill Sunday. "He left some grain. He put his body down yesterday. He's not nearly as funky as he was yesterday."

After nearly stumbling to his knees at the start, Lava Man managed to recover and go on to a nose victory over longshot Ace Blue in the $750,000 Grade I test and join Native Diver as the only horse to win the prestigious race more than once in its 67-year history.

Native Diver won it three times in a row from 1965-67 and is buried under a monument in the Hollywood Park paddock. O'Neill, who was born one year after the legendary "Black Horse's" triple, hopes that Lava Man will be in position to duplicate that three-peat next July.

O'Neill, who is three-for-three in the Gold Cup after also winning in 2002 with Sky Jack, gave special credit to Noe Garcia, the groom during all three of those victories.

"He's a real quiet guy who has been with me four or five years," said O'Neill. "He's always the first to work and the last to leave."

O'Neill said he and his family celebrated the victory with dinner at an Islands restaurant. He said that if Lava Man, unbeaten in five starts this year, bounces back, he will make his next start in the $1-million Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 20. That race could also attract runners-up Ace Blue, Super Frolic and Magnum.

he might be, but it doesn't look like they are listening "...next start in the 1-million pacific classic..."