First day back for Lava Man
By STEVE ANDERSEN

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Lava Man, the leading older horse in California this year, resumed racetrack training Friday, nearly three weeks after suffering his first defeat of 2007 in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs.

Lava Man jogged on Hollywood Park's main track after nearly 10 days of tack-walking at trainer Doug O'Neill's barn.

O'Neill said that Lava Man's behavior in recent days forced him to change his training schedule for November.

"I was going to wait another week to take him to the track, but he's coming out of his skin," O'Neill said. "Once he gets into training and now that he's in his normal stall, he'll quiet down."

Owned by STD Racing and Jason Wood, Lava Man finished seventh in the Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 4. He was third for the first six furlongs but faded on the final turn and finished 15 3/4 lengths behind race winner Invasor. It was his first loss in eight starts this year.

Lava Man, 5, has won 14 of 34 starts and $3,804,706. O'Neill is pointing Lava Man for the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Turf over 1 1/8 miles for California-breds and Florida-breds at Santa Anita on Jan. 27.

Lava Man won the $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic on dirt at Santa Anita last January in his first start of the year. The 2007 Sunshine Millions Classic is being run at Gulfstream Park, and O'Neill said he would prefer to race Lava Man in Southern California.

Lava Man was the dominant horse in California this year, becoming the first horse to win the Santa Anita Handicap, Hollywood Gold Cup, and Pacific Classic in the same year.
DRF 11/24/2006