HORSE RACING: CAN LAVA MAN BOUNCE BACK FROM A LONG ROADIE?Byline: KEVIN MODESTI ARCADIA - Lava Man's bid to be a People's Horse, to "belong" to the adoring fans in California, could get sidetracked by the real owners' plan to send the gelding halfway around the world for big money. Trainer Doug O'Neill said this week that Lava Man will fly to the United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates, federation of sheikhdoms (2005 est. pop. 2,563,000), c.30,000 sq mi (77,700 sq km), SE Arabia, on the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. on Tuesday for a $5 million turf race called the Dubai Duty Free Dubai Duty Free can refer to:
The Duty Free is on the undercard un·der·card n. The event or events coming before and supporting the main event, as of boxing matches. for the $6 million Dubai World Cup The Dubai World Cup is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1996 at the Nad Al Sheba Racecourse in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The race is operated through the Emirates Horse Racing Authority (EHRA) whose Chairman is Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, . Many U.S. horses have gone to the Dubai racing festival, five winning the World Cup. Often they've been slow to bounce back from the long trip. But O'Neill -- who trains Lava Man for Steve, Tracy and Dave Kenly, and Jason Wood -- thinks the 6-year-old can run in Dubai and still take a shot at local history three months later in the June 30 Hollywood Gold Cup The Hollywood Gold Cup is a Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred horses inaugurated in 1938 at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. It was run as a handicap race until 1997 when it was switched to weight-for-age conditions. . "We're hoping the fans of Lava Man will be proud when they see him run on Dubai World Cup day," O'Neill said Thursday at Santa Anita. "If everything goes well there, it's all systems go for a third Hollywood Gold Cup." Lava Man's Santa Anita Handicap repeat March 3 matched John Henry's 1981-82 feat. A third straight Gold Cup would match Native Diver's 1965-66-67 record. But the Cal-bred's achievements in-state don't seem to be enough for his owners, who want to improve his 0-for-4 record out-of-state. Winning a $5 million race on the other side of the globe would be a dramatic -- and profitable -- way to do that. But is it worth risking this Lavaffair with local fans? 'Street' on the road: Street Sense, last season's 2-year-old champion, finally hits the Kentucky Derby trail Saturday. He'll break from post 2 and face Any Given Saturday Any Given Saturday (foaled January 29, 2004 in Kentucky) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. From the mare Weekend in Indy, a daughter of the 1992 U.S. Horse of the Year and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, A.P. and five other horses in the Tampa Bay Derby The Tampa Bay Derby is a race for Thoroughbred race horses held in March at Tampa Bay Downs. A Grade III event, the race is open to three-year-olds willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles (8.5 furlongs) on the dirt. (about 2:45 p.m). For Street Sense (Calvin Borel riding), the 11/16-mile race at Tampa Bay Downs Tampa Bay Downs is a horse track in Tampa, Florida. History The track opened in 1926. The track has operated under many names the most famous being Florida Downs. In 1943, the Army used the track as a training facility. will be the first start since a 10-length victory in the Nov.4 Breeders' Cup Juvenile The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup. . Street Sense is scheduled for only two races before the May5 Derby, an approach that has produced just one Derby winner (Sunny's Halo, 1983) in the past 59 years. Trainer Carl Nafzger won the Derby with Unbridled in 1990 after four preps capped by the Blue Grass Stakes The Blue Grass Stakes, currently sponsored by the Toyota Motor Corporation, is an American Grade 1 horse race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds held annually in mid April at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky. . Nafzger plans to run Street Sense in the April 14 Blue Grass at Lexington. Nafzger said this week that Street Sense needs less racing because he's more mature than Unbridled at the same stage. "With the (five-race) schedule that he ran last year, I think (two races) is plenty," Nafzger said. "If we can't get there in two preps, I don't think we'd get there in three preps." Oaklawn Park's Rebel Stakes on Saturday (about 4:04 p.m.) finds D. Wayne Lukas' top 3-year-old Flying First Class facing Southwest winner Teuflesberg in a field of nine. Santa Anita's weekend: For Saturday's San Felipe Stakes The San Felipe Stakes is a race for Thoroughbred horses run each year at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The race is normally held in mid-March and is open to horses, age three, willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles (8.5 furlongs) on the dirt. , leading jockey Garrett Gomez chose Bob Baffert-trained Air Commander, an allowance winner at 1 1/8 miles, over Merv Griffin-owned Cobalt Blue, trying two turns for the first time after an injury layoff. Those two colts, playing catch-up on the Derby trail, face Grapelli and three others in the 11/16-mile San Felipe (about 4:30 p.m.). "He (Air Commander) has a little more seasoning than some of the other colts," Gomez said. "Not taking anything away from Cobalt Blue, but I think right now he might be a little behind some of these colts." Hall of Famers? Trainer Gary Jones, jockey Alex Solis, and the horses Best Pal and Silver Charm were among the recent California favorites nominated Thursday for the racing Hall of Fame. Jones' nomination came three days after his father, the record-setting trainer Farrell Jones, died at 84. Gary took over his father's stable after Farrell suffered a heart attack in 1974 and retired from training. Also put on the ballot by the nominating panel were trainers Robert Wheeler and John Veitch; jockeys Jose Santos and Randy Romero; male horse Manila, and female horses Inside Information, Mom's Command, Silverbulletday and Sky Beauty. Solis and Santos are still riding. In the Hall of Fame's latest harebrained hare·brained adj. Foolish; flighty: a harebrained scheme. Usage Note: The first use of harebrained dates to 1548. election procedure, 185 voters will be asked to choose one candidate in each category. The top vote getter in each category will be enshrined Aug. 6 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Farrell's legacy: Farrell Jones never has been elected to the racing Hall of Fame, perhaps because his career was distinguished more by quantity than by the high-quality victories that tend to impress the sport's historians. Jones, despite his early retirement, led the trainer standings a record 11 times at Del Mar and a record-sharing eight times at Santa Anita. Bob Baffert also has won eight titles at Santa Anita. Jones, who died Monday at a hospital near his ranch in Hemet, was the father of retired trainer Gary Jones and grandfather of trainer Marty Jones. His influence can also be seen in trainer Rafael Becerra, who was an assistant to both Farrell and Gary. Farrell Jones is to be buried in his native Malad City, Idaho For the Mumbai, India Suburb, see Malad (Mumbai suburb). Malad City (also commonly known as Malad) is the county seat and largest city of Oneida County, IdahoGR6. Its population was 2,158 at the 2000 census. . No services here are planned. heymodesti(AT_SIGN)aol.com (818) 713-3616 CAPTION(S): box Box: OUT OF THE GATE - Kevin Modesti |
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