This Sunday will mark exactly one year since I first saw the "Big Guy" race at Del Mar... capturing the Classic. I have to confess to being a relative newcomer to TB racing, having only started following the sport last summer... originally going to the track to try my hand at "action" photography and free concerts and ending up getting hooked on the horses. At the Pacific Classic last year I actually bet Giacomo to win (I have a thing for greys)... and wasn't very excited when the heavy favorite won... but it wasn't until I went home and started reading about Lava that I realized how special this horse was.
It was Lava Man that I followed up to the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita for the Goodwood... where I accidentally stumbled upon Em's photography... and was subsequently corralled... err... introduced to the SIM =p. My further obsession with the gelding lead to a silly myspace fan page and having a chance to befriend the owners... and buying 07 BC tix just in case >.>
Some of you are probably aware that Lava's long time groom, Noe Garcia, was badly injured when his van was rolled by a hit-and-run drunk driver late last month and he lost his left arm in the accident. Last night there was a benefit poker tournament and silent auction and I was really happy to have a chance to help out Noe... as about 5 of my photos were included in the auction. It was really neat to see how much stuff had been donated... everything from the actual hotel space to sports memorabilia out of people's private collections. They are hoping to collect enough to eventually get Noe the very best in prosthetics.
So anyway I made a cheesy little slide show thingy all all of Lava's So Cal races over the past year...
This Sunday will be my third Pacific Classic (my parents took me to the track only once as a kid... and it happened to be the '92 Classic)... and should prove to be one exciting race with Tiago and Awesome Gem and all the others... and of course I won't be betting on Giacomo's little brother to win... to place maybe =p.
Good luck Lava, come home safe.
