Hall of Famer Lava Man retires from pony career to Old Friends

Hall of Fame racehorse Lava Man will retire from his second career as a pony horse for trainer Doug O’Neill following the Breeders’ Cup, and will take up residence at the Old Friends Thoroughbred retirement facility in Kentucky.

California-bred gelding Lava Man, 21, will have his final assignment as a “coach,” as he is fondly referred to, when ponying O’Neill trainee Hot Rod Charlie for the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 5 at Keeneland. He will then remain in Kentucky to reside at Old Friends in Georgetown, about 20 minutes from Keeneland.

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“With tons of life left in his spirit, body, and mind we look forward to seeing lots of other people being able to meet and experience his greatness and uniqueness at Old Friends in Kentucky,” O’Neill’s racing stable posted on its official Facebook page. “At Team O’Neill we are extremely grateful for the 18 years we had to race and work alongside Lava Man. He can never be replaced, and we will never look to replace him.”

Lava Man has regularly been seen on racing’s biggest stages as a pony horse – including as a regular escort for O’Neill’s 2012 dual classic winner I’ll Have Another – since making the final start in December 2009 of a racing career in which he won 17 of 47 starts and earned more than $5.2 million. His 13 career stakes wins included three editions of the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup, in 2005, 2006, and 2007; the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap in 2006 and 2007; the Grade 1 Pacific Classic in 2006; and the Grade 1 Charles Wittingham Memorial Handicap in 2006. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.

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