Lava Man healing after colic surgery

DEL MAR, Calif. – Lava Man, the Hall of Fame gelding turned stable pony, showed improvement on Wednesday, a day after undergoing a colic operation, trainer Doug O’Neill said.

Lava Man is recovering at a San Diego-area equine clinic.

“He’s doing well,” O’Neill said. “The first 24 to 48 hours is very crucial. He’s standing comfortably and they’re monitoring everything.

“He’s going after his food and that’s a good sign.”

Lava Man underwent a procedure to correct a colon displacement, O’Neill said on Tuesday. Lava Man is expected to be rested “for a few months” when he is released from the clinic, the trainer said on Wednesday.

A 17-year-old, Lava Man won 17 of 47 starts, seven Grade 1 races, and earned $5,268,706. He earned $5,170,103 for owners Steve, Tracy, and David Kenly and Jason Wood after being claimed for $50,000 in 2004. He raced until December 2009 and won 13 stakes in his career.

Lava Man won three consecutive runnings of the Hollywood Gold Cup from 2005-07.

Yellow Ribbon draws a crowd

Fahan Mura, the winner of the Osunitas Stakes on July 20, will be entered in Saturday’s Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Stakes for fillies and mares on turf at Del Mar. A decision on whether she will start will be made on race day.

Wednesday, trainer Vladimir Cerin would commit only to entering Fahan Mura, who has won five of her last six starts.

“It costs nothing to enter and take a look,” Cerin said. “I’d run if there is no speed.”

Fahan Mura, a 4-year-old filly owned by Bran Jam Stable and David Clark, is all about pace. She led throughout the Osunitas at 1 1/16 miles and prevailed by 1 3/4 lengths for her first stakes win in her 18th start. The $200,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes at 1 1/16 miles will be Fahan Mura’s graded stakes debut in California. She was sixth in the Grade 2 New York Stakes at Belmont Park on June 8.

If Fahan Mura starts, she will have plenty of rivals. The Yellow Ribbon had a projected field of 12 as of Wednesday. The other likely runners are Ancient Secret, Beau Recall, Cambodia, Hallie Belle, Madame Stripes, Midnight Crossing, Pantsonfire, Sassy Littla Lila, Sophie P, Storm the Hill, and Tisbutadream.

Cambodia won the 2017 Yellow Ribbon and was third in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf here last November. Sophie P was the upset winner of the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita in May, but was sixth behind Storm the Hill in the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita on June 24.

Tisbutadream was a minor stakes winner in England last year and was seventh in her only start this year – the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket in May. Tisbutadream joined trainer Ben Cecil’s stable earlier this summer. He said the 4-year-old filly bled in England, a leading reason she was moved to his stable.

Tisbutadream is owned by Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s King Power Racing, which has invested heavily in bloodstock in Europe in recent years. Tisbutadream is his first runner in the United States.

Maiden Bellafina to Sorrento

Even though Bellafina is still eligible for a maiden race, trainer Simon Callaghan said he intends to start both her and Tijori in the Grade 2, $200,000 Sorrento Stakes for 2-year-old fillies going six furlongs on Sunday at Del Mar.

Bellafina was second to another intended Sorrento starter, Katieleigh, in a maiden race at Los Alamitos on July 4. Since that race, Dean Reeves has bought into Katieleigh and she has been transferred to trainer Kathy Ritvo.

Bellafina was 1 1/4 lengths behind Katieleigh in her debut, but was five lengths clear of the third horse. She has trained strongly at Del Mar, and Flavien Prat is sticking with her over Tijori. Both Bellafina and Tijori – who won a maiden race at Santa Anita before finishing fourth in the Astoria at Belmont on June 7 – are owned by Kaleem Shah.

Callaghan said it was tempting to run both fillies because “it’s a Grade 2.”

The Sorrento is also expected to include Dichotomy, Lady Lucy, Madison’s Quarters, Reflect, Stirred, and Summerland.

Also Sunday is the Grade 3, $150,000 La Jolla Handicap for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on turf. River Boyne should be a heavy favorite in that race. Expected challengers include Arawak, Californiagoldrush, Move Over, and Restrainedvengence, who won the openingday Oceanside Stakes.

Stakes next for Anonymity

Anonymity rolled to an authoritative victory in a second-level allowance going seven furlongs on Sunday and now will step into stakes competition, but trainer Richard Mandella said he’s not sure whether to keep her around one turn or stretch her out.

“I don’t know whether to pursue long or short,” he said. “Right now, just sizing it up.”

Anonymity, a 4-year-old daughter of Tapit, has now won three times in four starts. She is owned by the Roth family’s LNJ Foxwoods.

“Each time she runs pretty well, and this last time topped it off,” Mandella said. “The doors are wide open now.”

◗ Mubtaahij, who missed the San Diego Handicap on July 21 after spiking a temperature, got back on the work tab on Tuesday when he went a half-mile in 49 seconds. He was second in the Lone Star Park Handicap in his last start on May 27, his lone race since finishing third in the Dubai World Cup two months earlier.