LAVA MAN RETIRES…AGAIN
After a controversial return to racing, trainer Doug O’Neill and veterinarian Doug Herthel recommended to co-owner Steve Kenly that Lava Man should be re-retired.
"I’ve thought a lot since that last race," Steve Kenly said of the San Gabriel. "We were expecting more out of him. His ankles were better, but the thing that probably caught up with him was time."
Click here for the Daily Racing Form article
Then come back to the Paulick Report and let us know what you think.
Tags: bradford cummings, daily racing form, Doug Herthel, doug o'neill, Lava Man, Paulick Report, Steve Kenly
January 5th, 2010 at 7:05 pm
He was a great race horse. I hope they find something he enjoys doing.
January 5th, 2010 at 7:22 pm
Bummer
January 5th, 2010 at 7:56 pm
Maybe he’ll start a blog…..
January 5th, 2010 at 10:04 pm
Glad this ridiculous experiment is over and hope they find him a new career he loves.
January 5th, 2010 at 10:11 pm
VERY GOOD NEWS…I HOPE HE HAS A VERY HAPPY AND LONG RETIREMENT…HE’S EARNED IT….AND THAT’S AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
January 6th, 2010 at 9:54 am
Great news, now he can move on the next phase of his life, albeit latter than he should. I’m glad he’s not going to be put in this position again. To run him again was a mistake; he had already earned his time in retirement.
January 6th, 2010 at 10:27 am
I’m grateful Lava Man’s Trainer, Vet & Owners are doing what is best for the Horse. In my opinion, I wouldn’t train him for jumping. That puts alot of stress on the horse’s legs and ankles. I agree with the other bloggers, Lava Man has earned the right enjoy his life in comfort and retire. Hopefully we can come visit him. I enjoy visiting our Heros!
January 6th, 2010 at 11:48 am
Horses that are too good or too bad don’t get a brake. He suffered enough. His joints were shot yet he raced again and again without anyone there to protect this courageous and generous gelding and preventing him from racing, including the examining vets that must have such hard time scratching a favorite and main attraction in top stakes races. How many times were Lava Man’s joints injected thoughout his career? We probably don’t want to know!
January 6th, 2010 at 12:15 pm
Still hearing rumblings around the track that one of the owners wanted to go on with the horse, make a trainer change and point Lava Man to another race. Glad to hear that the vet and trainer were able to convince such owner that Lava Man is now a slower, older gelding who happens to have healthier ankles!!
January 6th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
I can’t get the drf feed…anyone know where he is going to be retired to?
January 6th, 2010 at 4:44 pm
Calling Lava Man’s last run a race is stretching the imagination a bit more so after all the smoke they blew after looking like complete tools. Lava Man would have a tough time warming up 32k claimers now sprinting because it is pretty obvious he cant route anymore due to NUMEROUS ailments and father time.
I am glad he might now get to have some peace and finally escape the needles.
January 6th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
Glad they tried and mostly, VERY happy this athelete has more choices than hobbling around a retirement pasture at such a young age…it’s ALL GOOD!!!! (Go Kip!)
January 6th, 2010 at 5:53 pm
Excuse me….wasn’t Lava Man leading at the final quarter pole?
Again, anyone know what the DRF or any sources say is retirement facility will be?
January 6th, 2010 at 10:51 pm
D.Masters,
DRF reported the owners are considering pony, hunter-jumper, or field ornament.
January 7th, 2010 at 7:25 am
What happened to Old Friends?????
January 7th, 2010 at 6:11 pm
I would imagine Old Friends have washed their hands of these liars because they have REAL work to do that doesn’t involve constant smoke screens and deception.
Nice job on the connections skipping the arthritis issue. The reality is that NEVER goes away and actually gets WORSE with age regardless, these people must think the public are complete idiots. The next thing they are going to be telling us is that they have regenerated knee cartilage degraded from the numerous cortisone shots Lava Man has had in his lifetime. I wont even go into the well documented fact that he has bad feet his entire life which resulted in him losing a frog in Japan and using glue on shoes on many occasions.
January 13th, 2010 at 12:49 am
Thank you. Very interesting entry.