Horse Racing Roundup: Lava Man erupts for win

ARCADIA, Calif. — Lava Man won the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap on Saturday, with Giacomo — last year's Kentucky Derby winner — finishing fifth in the field of nine.

A former $50,000 claimer, Lava Man was three-quarters of a length in front of Magnum at the wire, with Wilko another 7 ½ lengths behind in third.

Favored High Limit finished fourth, 1 ¼ lengths ahead of Giacomo.

Clocked in 2 minutes, 2/5 seconds for 1 ¼ miles, Lava Man paid $8.80 to win in the Grade I race.

Doug O'Neill trains Lava Man, a 5-year-old gelding who was ridden by Corey Nakatani.

O'Neill said he was worried heading into the race because of the way it might set up, with several horses figuring to crowd in just off the pace.

"It was such a weird race on paper that we kept telling Corey, 'Don't get sucked into the inside,' " O'Neill said.

Nakatani was reassuring.

"I said, 'Don't worry about it,' " the jockey recalled. "Fortunately, Lava Man was on his 'A' game."

O'Neill considers the victory in the prestigious race particularly special because another horse from his barn, early Kentucky Derby favorite Stevie Wonderboy, has been sidelined by a small fracture in his right front leg.

"We were so geared up to being a part of the Kentucky Derby, it was a blow," O'Neill said. "Winning the Big 'Cap is about as good a feeling, I guess. I've never won either before."

Earlier in the day at Santa Anita, Brother Derek and rider Alex Solis had a perfect trip to win the $200,000 Santa Catalina Stakes and affirm the colt's credentials as the early favorite for this year's Kentucky Derby.

Winning for the third consecutive time and also scoring for the third time in his career around two turns, Brother Derek finished 1 ¾ lengths in front of longshot Sacred Light.

A son of Benchmark, Brother Derek was the only graded-stakes winner in the eight-horse field. He was timed in 1:49-4/5 for 1-1/16 miles.

Just off the early pace, Brother Derek began driving past leader Latent Heat coming out of the final turn, then comfortably held off Sacred Light.

The win was the fifth in seven lifetime starts for Brother Derek, who paid $3 to win.

"What a pro he is," Solis said. "He really won it very easy. I wasn't using him that much. We wanted to make sure we didn't do him in before the Kentucky Derby, if we get to that point.

"We just pray that he stays healthy and keeps moving forward."

First Samurai wins by DQ in Florida

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. — First Samurai found a way to win the Grade II Fountain of Youth Stakes, thanks to a disqualification.

Corinthian finished a length ahead of First Samurai in the 1-1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds, but only after the colt cut off First Samurai in the stretch and then veered out and bumped the Kentucky Derby hopeful before crossing the finish line.

After a stewards' inquiry, Corinthian was disqualified and placed third, moving First Samurai into first and Flashy Bull into second.

"Winning like that takes a little of the taste out of it," First Samurai's jockey, Edgar Prado, said.

First Samurai, trained by Frank Brothers, took command of the race from the outset, and was cruising around the far turn when Corinthian moved up in the stretch and made a bold challenge for the lead. With Javier Castellano aboard, Corinthian moved in front just outside the eighth pole, then cut in front of First Samurai, who was on the rail.

After First Samurai came on again, Corinthian veered out, moving several horses farther outside, including First Samurai and Flashy Bull.

It was the first disqualification from first place in 69 runnings of the Fountain of Youth.

First Samurai paid $3.40 to win in the $300,000 race.

First Samurai remains a top contender for the Derby on May 6.

But the son of Giant's Causeway will return home to Kentucky and run next in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 15.