Lava Man and La Reine’s Terms

The return of former claiming horse, one-time King of the California circuit, and multi-millionaire Lava Man has generated the entirely predictable spectrum of reaction: all the way from “Yippee! He’s back” to “I can’t believe those greedy SOBs are cruelly abusing this poor horse.”

Which, I suppose, is further proof that where you stand depends on where you sit.

For myself, I’m cautiously optimistic.  For one thing, the owners appear to be saying all the right things: that the horse wants to come back, that they’ll only run if he can still run at the highest level, that his well-being is paramount.

Beyond that, I have a pretty clear memory — apropos, as it happens, since Maryland Million Day is tomorrow — of another listless old warrior who decided he had one more race left in him: La Reine’s Terms.

The now-14 year-old horse by Private Terms is, these days, a $1000 stud standing in Maryland, passing on his somewhat less than fashionable pedigree (Private Terms-La Reine Elaine, by King’s Bishop) and, perhaps, preference for racing long on the grass.

In the 2005 Maryland Million, though, he was a 10 year-old more than a year removed from his last race and three years removed from his last stakes victory.  He was an old soldier who’d earned 10 stakes triumphs and more than $700,000.

He’d missed his eight year-old season with nagging injuries, then returned as a nine year-old to win an allowance and place in two stakes.  He received time off following the second of those placings — a third place finish in the Maryland Million Turf — and retirement seemed a likely option.  But as time went on, the horse indicated a preference: he wanted more work.

Returning to training with Larry Murray, the horse grew stronger and fitter.  Come Maryland Million Day, jockey Jeremy Rose told the Washington Post, the horse looked “like a two year-old.  He was jumping and squealing.”

He wasn’t jumping and squealing when the gates opened, however.  He calmly — you might say professionally — stalked the pace set by the speedy Bingobear, surged to the lead, and held off defending champ Dr. Detroit by a little less than a length.

In the happy winners’ circle, owner Sondra Bender told the Post, “This horse.. is special.  He’s a stayer.  He’s still a horse.”

In these days where we value the hare over the tortoise, that’s a pretty nice — and richly deserved — legacy.  La Reine’s Terms was, indeed, a horse — in all the best senses of the word.  So’s Lava Man.

Here’s hoping that Lava Man’s comeback goes just as well as La Reine’s Terms, with just as happy an ending.