Posted on 8/16/2007 5:15:41 PM

Online Horseracing - The Pacific Classic - From Best Pal to Lava Man

By Greg Melikov

A 3-year-old that suffered a disappointing Triple Crown season in 1991 captured the inaugural Pacific Classic worth $550,000 later that summer.

The son of English-bred Habitony was coming off an outstanding juvenile season after a late start in mid-May. He swept California’s three major races for 2-year-olds and entered the Kentucky Derby with high hopes.

But it wasn’t to be for the late, great Best Pal. Strike the Gold whipped him by 1 ¾ lengths in the Run for the Roses.

The field was competitive. Fifth-place finisher Fly So Free was the top 2-year-old after winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the favored Hansel, way back in 10th, went on to take the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes and earn top 3-year-old honors.

In the ’91 Pacific Classic, Best Pal at age 3 defeated older standouts like runner-up Twilight Agenda, second later that October to Black Tie Affair in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and third-place finisher Unbridled, the ’90 Kentucky Derby and BC Classic champion.

Other sophomore winners were General Challenge, ’99, and Came Home, ’02.

In addition, Best Pal became the first horse to sweep California’s Big 3 stakes: the Pacific Classic, the San Anita Handicap in ’92 and the Hollywood Gold Cup in ’93.

When Best Pal retired in ’96 at 8 following a dismal performance in the San Pasqual Handicap at Santa Anita Park, he ranked third in total earnings of more than $5.6 million, third behind Alysheba and John Henry.

Of the husky gelding’s 18 visits to the winner’s circle, 17 were posted in stakes races. He got fan mail, including one that had a personalized license plate made up saying, “Bes Pal.”

In ’97 and ’98, he led the Pacific Classic post parade. When Best Pal died suddenly at 11, he was buried on the grounds of Golden Eagle Farm.

Some pretty good older horses, have won this Grade 1: Bertrando, ’93; Gentlemen, ’97; Free House, ’98; Candy Ride, ’03; and Pleasantly Perfect, ’04, the oldest at 6 who set the stakes record of 1:59 for the 1 ¼ miles.

Fast forward to this year’s Pacific Classic on Sunday at Del Mar. Lava Man, the King of California, aims to join two other thoroughbreds that captured back-to-back Pacific Classics: Tinners Way, ’94-95, and Skimming, ’00 and 01.

In addition, the 6-year-old gelding is gunning for a record that’s unlikely to be broken for many years – capturing California’s Big 3 stakes in the same year for the second consecutive time. No other horse has accomplished this feat even once.

In winning the Hollywood Gold Cup, Lava Man joined Native Diver (’65-67) as the only three-time winners.

Lava Man hasn’t lost on a California dirt or synthetic surface since finishing third to Borrego and Perfect Drift in the ’05 Pacific Classic. Since then he has won nine in a row.

The Pacific Classic, boosted from $600,000 to $1 million, has attracted more than 30,000 fans during the last five of the 16 runnings. In ’96, Dare and Go upset Cigar to end his 16-race winning streak before a record crowd of 44,181 and returned the highest payoff in history -- $81.20.

In his final major work, Lava Man went 1:14 4/5 for six furlongs before Del Mar’s first race on Aug. 11, covering the final quarter-mile in 23 2/5.

This year’s field may number as many as 13, including four horses that finished behind Lava Man in the Gold Cup: A. P. Excellent, Big Booster, Porido and Molengao.

Top contenders include a pair of 3-year-olds: Tiago and Albertis Maximus, one-two in Hollywood’s Swaps Breeders’ Cup.

Other challengers aiming to dethrone Lava Man are the top three finishers in Del Mar’s San Diego Handicap: Sun Boat, Salty Humor and Arson Squad.

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