Article: Bernardini, Lava Man Set for Classic Showdown
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Bernardini, Lava Man Set for Classic Showdown
Oct 8, 3:40 PM (ET)
By RICHARD ROSENBLATT
NEW YORK (AP) -A duel at the Downs is set for next month's Breeders' Cup Classic - East Coast sensation Bernardini vs. West Coast star Lava Man.
Bernardini produced another overpowering victory in Saturday's $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park, a 6}-length romp that ran the 3-year-old colt's winning streak to six in a row.
About 20 minutes later at Santa Anita, Lava Man easily put away the competition for a 2-length victory in the $500,000 Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap that ran the 5-year-old gelding's winning streak to seven in a row.
When the two horses meet in the $5 million Classic at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4, Horse of the Year honors will be on the line.
"It's going to be fun leading up to the Breeders' Cup," Lava Man's jockey Corey Nakatani said. "We're ready for him."
They better be. If Bernardini's performance in the Jockey Club Gold Cup is an indication, Lava Man and any other horse from the United States or Europe will have to deliver an exceptional effort. And even that might not be enough to unnerve Bernardini, who has won with such authority he has yet to be challenged in the stretch.
"It's unbelievable how he gets better with every race," trainer Tom Albertrani said Sunday morning outside his barn at Belmont. "If he just comes and runs the same race as he has been doing, he may never have that situation."
Lava Man won't be the only challenger for Bernardini. Among others headed to the Classic are Invasor, winner of the Whitney Handicap who has eight wins in nine career starts, Santa Anita Derby winner Brother Derek and 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo, who finished second and third, respectively, behind Lava Man in the Goodwood.
They keep winning Grade 1 stakes, but Bernardini and Lava Man couldn't be more different.
Bernardini is regally bred and owned by royalty - a son of A.P. Indy and owned by Dubai crown prince Sheik Mohammed's Darley Stable. The colt has won at five different race tracks.
Lava Man is a son of Slew City Slew, and was claimed for $50,000 at Del Mar in 2004 by Steve Kenly and his Phoenix-based partners. The gelding hasn't won outside California.
"We've got to prove to ourselves that he can win outside California," trainer Doug O'Neill said. "A lot of East Coast people are skeptical of horses that come from California."
Since a 5-length victory in the Preakness, the race that will always be remembered for Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro's breakdown, Bernardini has blown away all comers.
First he dominated at Saratoga, winning the Jim Dandy by nine lengths and the Travers by 7½ lengths with little urging from jockey Javier Castellano.
In the Gold Cup, Bernardini took on older horses for the first time and didn't miss a beat. Wanderin Boy, who finished second, also finished second as the favorite behind Invasor in the Pimlico Special.
Nick Zito, who trains Wanderin Boy, was so taken with Bernardini that the Hall of Famer nearly joined the Belmont crowd of 16,959 in applauding.
"It's the first time I almost clapped for a horse that beat me," Zito said. "That was pretty cool."
Lava Man, meanwhile, has become a rags-to-riches story. He hasn't lost since the 2005 Japan Cup, when he finished 11th with foot problems. His seven-race winning streak began in January, when he won the Sunshine Millions Classic at Santa Anita.
He swept the Santa Anita Handicap, Hollywood Gold Cup and Pacific Classic, the major races at Southern California's three tracks.
"This horse is just amazing," O'Neill said. "You don't think he's going to run any better, but it seems like he ran as good a race as he ever has."
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More than a dozen races were contested Saturday that helped set the stage for other Breeders' Cup races. Some highlights:
- Fleet Indian remained perfect in six starts this year with a head victory over Balletto in the Beldame at Belmont, and should be the favorite in the Distaff. Balletto will give it another go.
- Honey Ryder edged Film Maker by a nose in the Flower Bowl Invitational at Belmont, with both likely to meet again in the Filly & Mare Turf. Wait a While, winner of last week's Yellow Ribbon Stakes at Santa Anita, is the leader in the turf filly and mare division.
- The Mile took shape with Aragon winning the Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita to reaffirm his status as top turf miler. Aussie Rules took the Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland, with top BC Mile contender Miesque's Approval third.
- The Sprint will feature Henny Hughes - 3-for-3 this year - as the likely favorite after his 2}-length win in the Vosburgh at Belmont. Bordonaro won the Ancient Title Breeders' Cup Sprint at Santa Anita, but the owners need to pay a supplemental fee of $180,000 to get into the Sprint. Kelly's Landing is headed to Louisville after winning the Phoenix Breeders' Cup at Keeneland.
- Great Hunter handed Circular Quay his first defeat in the Lane's End Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland, and both are headed to the Juvenile.
- English Channel won the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational, and should be among the favorites among a gaggle of European horses in the Turf.
