Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

joe — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:36:36 GMT

I admire any horse who can switch from such great success on dirt to win on grass. Glad he's retiring healthy. Here's to a long retirement, and here's to Seattle Slew and Slew City Slew.

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

Wanda — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 05:07:18 GMT

MerryWriter: to answer your question they will give him "down" time at the farm,take him off all the feed he's been getting and inside of a year if he's "jellin" they will start riding him with a stock saddle.Sometimes you can start right away.I had one who ran on a Saturday and schooled at the gate 6 days later and post paraded the next day. He was a nice horse at one time held the 5 furlong track record.Depends on their attitude and how they take the change in roles.That horse I schooled in a week was soaking wet behind the gate the first time,and couldn't have cared less after that.

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

MerryWriter — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 03:19:56 GMT

For the guy who said Lava Man was not a great horse:

Maybe he wasn't the likes of Secretariat or Man of War, but Lava Man was a Work Horse, the likes of that other California and national favorite, Seabiscuit. If there is one thing Americans appreciate it is a good work ethic, and Lava Man worked his way to being a multi-millionaire. Good for him and good for me, his fan, watching him do it.

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

MerryWriter — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 02:57:26 GMT

For a horse that loves to race, and if Lava Man is a "pony," won't he get confused and think he's the one who's suppose to be going into the gate? How does this work?

Whatever - I just want him to have a happy life. Too bad he's a gelding, was he really that bad of a boy?

Mr. O'Neil and owners, you should know Lava Man is NOT just a California horse, Southerners love im too, thanks to TVG where we got to see a lot of him.

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

Samantha P. — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:46:11 GMT

I think we should all stop comparing what he has or hasn't done. Like so many have already mentioned, he was a 50g claimer that earned over $5m. I would call that pretty inspirational. We need more horses like him that race beyond their 3yo year and give racing fans something to cheer for and look forward to. I think he's a pretty classy horse who should be remembered more for what he DID do than what he didn't.

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

Linda O. — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 12:54:55 GMT

I love you Lava Man! You are a true champion. I have followed your great career over the past few years. You have given so much to horse racing. I am happy to hear you are healthy and sound so you can enjoy many more years at the track as a lead pony!

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

katsan — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 20:45:08 GMT

Wanda, I think we only had one negative comment on here. Aren't papparazzi considered very negatively to begin with, equine or human. I personally love Lava Man and most of his connections (not so much Corey) but especially love my fellow Irishman Doug and of course groom NOE GARCIA, bless his heart.

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

Wanda — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:01:17 GMT

Enough with the negitive comments about Lava Man. Who cares who he beat or didn't beat. The horse ground out 5 mill off a 50G claim, that's the story of the century. If you've ever claimed a horse your happy if you move him up a notch never mind a 100 notches. Let's find something else to tear apart besides a very very nice,classy racehorse.

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

Bryce Be Quick — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 14:37:17 GMT

Equine Paparazzi-

You are not being a party pooper-- your points well taken with respect to how a Cal-bred simply did not perform when shipped outside his native turf (and I should quickly add dirt and synthetics, seeing how he is the only horse to win G1's on all three surfaces).

That said, look at the other posts-- as Ogala Sue sustinctly notes, Lava Man a "rare gem". Like another horse closely connected to the West Coast, Seabiscuit, Lava Man transcends his considerable track accomplishments and is already the stuff of legend. Who will forget the 2005 Pacific Classic when after finishing a very game third, he had to be vanned off the track simply because, as it turned out, he was totally exhausted from the effort.

That friends, is what I look for in a horse first: character and heart. Lava Man has both in abundance and like very few others I have been honored to see (the recently retired Showing Up, trained by Barclay Tagg and owned by Gretchen and Roy Jackson, another one cut from this mold, as is a more contemporary horse to Lava Man still running himself, GH Motion's magnificent turf specialist, Better Talk Now).

I always suspected it might have Lava Man's dam, Ll'l Ms. Leonard, who so stamped him (not that his sire, Slew City Slew, without run in his own right). My theory is now being tested, as Lava Man's half sister, Lava Girl, by Purge (Pulpit's kid) foaled in 2007. Maybe she will simply be the claimer Lava Man once was?

Lava Man more than worthy of a berth at the KY Horse Park, but given his racing record, will likely be much happier staying in CA and eventually returning to Hollywood Park. What a warrior.

Heck, Doug O'Neil himself has had more talented horses in his stable, but I dare say Lava Man is THE horse of his lifetime.

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

JordanA — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 14:16:33 GMT

Equine Paparazzi,

You made your own argument against yourself when you dissed LM then said 7 G1's you'd like to own him,

You see the $ signs only so the rest of your arguments are moot. nuff said.

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

Sweet Defense (Fr) — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 03:48:35 GMT

Stevie Wonderboy, a great horse? Sky Jack a great horse? I can't believe those two are considered great when Lava isn't. That comment by DO bugged me also - this is the horse that to a large extent made him, if for no other reason than his longevity at the top. No, he didn't beat a Triple Crown winner, that would be difficult given the lack of one. He beat whoever showed up, giving at times significant weight, and he did it consistently. He set a turf track record, and he earned a 120 Beyer in his first Gold Cup win. Big Brown sure hasn't been able to accomplish that, yet he's being called great (but who has he really beaten??). Curlin - who has he beaten this year? The best horses he's beaten this year are probably Well Armed and Better Talk Now - and Better Talk Now has lost a step or two.

No, he might not get into the Hall of Fame, while flashier horses who started a few times will get in there. It does seem to have hurt Sky Beauty that she couldn't win outside of New York - she's another one who definitely deserves to be in there over some of those already in it.

In the end, Lava Man represented the professional race horse, the kind that often seems to be lost. He could run on anything as long as it was in CA, from different kinds of synthetics to rock hard dirt and turf. He earned his following the hard way, and he brightened his fans day every time he showed up.

My only regret is tha living in Texas I was not able to see him run in person. He's a credit to Slew City Slew and Seattle Slew, a throwback to the horses of the past, tough and tenacious with a huge heart and immense talent. Hope he has a long and happy retirement, wherever would make him the happiest and where his fans can enjoy him. Thanks to his owners and trainer for taking such good care of him.

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

ctgreyhound — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 01:47:16 GMT

Can there be another horse with the class & tenacity of Lava Man? This horse has so much magnetism. He has been the catalyst to draw people to the sport. It's wonderful to know that in the near future he will continue in this role as a stable pony. It would definitely be the public's loss if he disappeared from sight, never to be seen by his numerous fans again. We look forward to his return!

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

Amber — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:53:39 GMT

I think some people have kinda lost the point. Great horse or not he was a claiming horse that made over 5 million. If all horses could start from such a humble begining and make that kind of profit a whole lot more people would be into race horses. I live in the mid-west and I think he was a great horse anyway you want to look at it, and even though I could visit him if he came to KHP, I think he should stay with DO, maybe when he's 15 or so he can truly retire at kentucky.

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

Wasn't Bad — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 22:01:18 GMT

Lave Man was a fun horse to watch. I can't put him up there with the great horses I have ever seen because he never beat any real good horses and he ran such duds when he left California. Sorry to say, but that will matter when it comes to Hall of Fame consideration.

What I do remember the most about Lava man is I cashed one of my biggest winners ever when he finished of all places second. I hit a huge exacta in the Cal Cup Classic when he lost to Cozy Guy who I think was 21-1 and ridden by Corey Nakatani and Lava Man was a neck back in second I think at about 20-1.

Who knew what was to come later on for Lava Man.

Good call retiring the him. He didn't have anything left to give on the track.

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

Shelley — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:48:56 GMT

Lava Man, safe and sound, that's the main thing. But I will miss you.

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

Equine Paparazzi — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:29:08 GMT

Lecy, nice post. way to come back at me. OK, he beat giacomo and brother derek. I can't take anything away from Giacomo but brother derek was pretty much of an underachiever after he won the Santa Anita Derby. King's Drama was a good turf horse, so I can see that.

I will admit that Lava Man wasn't just lucky and he did beat almost everyone that was in the gate against him. That's all you ask of a horse, but he was unfortunate in that the horses he faced, for the most part, weren't all that good. I doubt he wins three straight Gold Cups against quality horses. I doubt he wins two.

And he got beat everytime he stepped on an airplane, and he was usually beaten in a significantly discouraging manner to almost everyone who saw it, except for perhaps his owners, who kept going back to that well one more time.

Take away the Japan trip, which was entirely unnecessary, and this horse would be running in the Pacific Classic in a couple of weeks and the BC Classic in a couple of months. He wouldn't need an airplane to get from Hollywood to Santa Anita.

Hey, somebody on this blog needs to bring a dose of reality to this discussion.

Lava Man is a good horse who beat consistently mediocre fields and was managed by owners who couldn't see that he was aviation-averse. There, I said it. Now hate me. Good night, ladies and gents..

see y'all at Del Mar tomorrow...

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

BetIdaho — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:28:57 GMT

Cheers to Lava Man and his connections!

LavaMan is the prime example of how a horse can draw people to the game... and, keep people in the game!

LavaMan will never be forgotten in California or in Idaho for that matter.

LavaMan - thanks for the memories!

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

Jason Shandler — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:12:28 GMT

Ryan: O'Neill has trained some great horses, including Stevie Wonderboy. He's had 3 BC winners and 2 Derby starters. Plus, he trained Sky Jack who also won the Gold Cup. I don't think its arrogant. While Lava Man was very good, he never accomplished much outside of California. That isn't taking anything away from him, but some of O'Neill's other horses have probably had more talent.

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

Ryan — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 20:54:33 GMT

I think it's pretty arrogant to say from a talent standpoint Lava Man was up there with the best he's ever trained, referring to remarks from D.O. How many of his other horses won three Gold Cups?

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

Huh — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 20:00:55 GMT

I hope that just like Funny Cide he'll become a stable pony that or he retires happy to retirement home.

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

Slew.em.All — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:24:23 GMT

It's time to kick-back and take it easy Lava Man,you certainly deserve it buddy!..Tho' your legacy will forever live on,your ankles have had enough of the poundings..You truly are a Classic example of the tremendous ability and heart bestowed upon you through your Grandpa,the Great Seattle Slew!

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

LoveMyLava — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:11:56 GMT

I just want to thank EVERYONE connected with this horse. They have done right by him again and again, and you leave a grateful public in the wake of this CA legend. I am sad to see him leave the racetrack, but there is no better thing than him walking off sound and historic.

It seems no final decision has been made to where Lava Man goes from here, but I sure hope he stays put in the barn of his frien ds who love him SO much. I know Lava has fans everywhere, but he is California's horse, and nowhere will he be appreciated so much. Seven is only old for a RACEhorse with that kind of mileage, otherwise, he's just a spring chicken as horses go, and I bet he'd positively thrive as a pony in Doug O'Neill's barn! Just my .02 on that subject!

I love you, Lava...thanks for giving back the joy and passion to this old race fan's heart!!

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

Mike S — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:56:31 GMT

LAVA MAN is a great horse. Amongst Cal-Breds he definitely makes the top 10: (SWAPS, NATIVE DIVER, TIZNOW, LAVA MAN, ANCIENT TITLE, BEST PAL, etc). Being so good on turf and dirt he reminded me of JOHN HENRY and *COUGAR II.

I don't think it mattered that he never won, or ran well, outside California. No one asks horses who race exclusively in New York to come to California to "prove their greatness," so California horses shouldn't have to go outside their backyard to prove anything either. I have no idea why LAVA MAN never did well when he left California but, whatever the reason, he is a great horse nonetheless.

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

Michael P — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:50:29 GMT

Glad of the retirement -the ole boy deserves it. I have tracked him ever since his 3rd place in

the Pacific Classic- He always gave whatever he had to give and more- He had a lot of heart. Horses need a job -it would be a great thing for him to go on to being a pony horse.

re: Q & A With Lava Man Trainer Doug O'Neill

Maggie M. — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:09:07 GMT

Wow...I like how there is ANOTHER Maggie here. So I'm going to change my name from originally "Maggie" (even though I've been commenting on these blogs for awhile now) to "Maggie M." or I could go back to my Internet name that I've used for several years now, to dispell any confusion.

As an East Coaster, I love this horse! He was truly an inspiration when I devoured every ounce of information about the sport, watching his races whenever he was shown on television. I'm glad they are retiring him sound; that's the most important thing. Hopefully, Doug O'Neill will get his wish and have him as a stable pony. The ol' veteran could be seen as a "mentor" for the other youngens. =D If he doesn't become a stable pony, I do pray that he finds a very good home and lives out the rest of his days in peace.

Lava, you have been and forever always will be the Man.