Wed Sep 26 21:56:04 2007

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Goodwood Stakes features Lava Man

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Arcadia, CA (Sports Network) - Defending champ Lava Man returns to face nine rivals in Saturday's $500,000 Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita Park. The winner of the race will gain automatic entry into the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic as part of the "Win and You're In" program.

Lava Man, owned by STD Racing and Jason Wood, can become the third horse to repeat as the winner of the Goodwood. Lord At War won in 1984 and 1985, and Pleasantly Perfect posted consecutive victories in 2002 and 2003.

Trained by Doug O'Neill, Lava Man will be ridden by Corey Nakatani from post seven. The six-year-old gelding is coming off a rare loss, he was sixth in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar. This year he repeated as the winner of the Santa Anita Handicap and won his third straight Hollywood Gold Cup.

Lava Man has won 17 of 41 lifetime starts for more than $5.2 million.

Dennis O'Neill, brother and associate of Doug, recently indicated that Lava Man may also be entered in the Oak Tree Mile on turf next weekend. "Beyond that," Dennis said, "the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile definitely is a possibility. That race is worth $1 million, but if he were to run big, we'd have to think of the ($2 million) Breeders' Cup Mile. We've got all kinds of options."

Santa Anita Derby winner Tiago will face older horses for the first time in the 1 1/8 mile race. The three-year-old has drawn post four with Mike Smith set to ride. The pair are coming off a solid victory in the Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park in July.

Owned by Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Moss, the colt has earned $815,270 in seven career starts with three wins. John Shirreffs trains Tiago who was seventh in the Kentucky Derby and third in the Belmont Stakes.

With Pacific Classic winner Student Council going in the Hawthorne Gold Cup on Saturday, the top finisher from the Del Mar event entered in the Goodwood is runner-up Awesome Gem. The four-year-old will start from post eight with David Flores in the saddle.

Awesome Gem is trained by Craig Dollase for owners West Point Stable and others. The gelding has won four of 13 lifetime starts for $531,360. Prior to the Pacific Classic he was second in the San Diego Handicap to the now deceased Sun Boat.

Here is the complete field for the 26th Goodwood Stakes in post position order: Arson Squad, Victor Espinoza; Hello Sunday, Brice Blanc; Lewis Michael, Eddie Baird; Tiago, Mike Smith; Porfido, Joel Rosario; Big Booster, Michael Baze; Lava Man, Corey Nakatani; Awesome Gem, David Flores; A. P. Xcellent, Jose Valdivia, Jr. and Wanna Runner, Tyler Baze.

The Goodwood has a scheduled post-time of 7:30 p.m. (et).