Native Diver Stakes (Grade 3)- $100.000 Purse
DMR- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
November 20, 2021
For the 18th time, the Native Diver will be taking place, and it has been run at DMR every year since 2014. During its tenure at DMR, we have already seen two dead heats for a win, so we’ll be hoping not to see a third this year. For the most part, the purse for the race has been its present $100.000 amount, though in 2012 it did see $250.000. Mb Stables has been very successful in this race, winning it four times since 2015, though only twice has won it straight up. One of those winners was last year as General Obvious scored the win. The still active horse has not won a stake since then, though did run in two Grade 1’s over the summer. For this race, we will have nine going to post. Here’s a look at them!
#1- Plan To Wheel (Fractious, ridden by D Van Dyke)- In March, this gelding won the Grade 3 Gotham, putting him into the KYD. From there, not much has really gone right for him with all but a third place showing in the LA Derby being races in which he was well up the track at the end. The competition is not as strong here, but still good enough to where I could not put money on him.
#2- Hard Discretion (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by Ru Gonzalez)- After back to back wins in optional claimers at PRX, Hard Discretion is being given the opportunity to race in a stake for the first time. There was much to like about his last race, and if does that again here, he will have a great chance to extend his streak to three. Worked very well at PRX two weeks ago.
#3- Downward Roll (Big Jd Racing, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- This eight year old gelding will make the 55th start of his career. Sixteen of those have been victories, and he has earned a couple of ungraded stake wins during that time, including one as recently as April. Looked very sharp at seven furlongs in a KEE allowance in his last start.
#4- Sweetly Chai (Greyfriars Stable, ridden by A Achard)- The Clockwork Chai gelding has won one of his six starts this year, coming in the always tougher than it gets credit for TUP Derby in March. Off of that, he had a pair of runner up in Grade 3’s, including an especially tight Marine Stakes, to Ricki Tikki Tavi. Hasn’t raced a lot since, and it’s a shame because he was looking great at that time.
#5- Psychotic Ruler (Night Rider Stables, ridden by F Prat)- There is something that seems very symmetric about a horse with six wins, six places, and six shows, in 36 starts. Just three weeks ago, he was very impressive in how he came from well off the pace to win the $300.000 Empire Classic. It was muddy that day, but the trainer would love to see a repeat of that for the veteran. He’s been hot of late.
#6- Cold Case (Nakamura Stables, ridden by T J Pereira)- Three months ago, Nakamura picked this horse up in a $40.000 claimer, but he has not yet run him. That claiming race represented a drop down from three dismal showings in Grade 3, so the trainer did what he could to figure out how to get him running at that level once again. Layoff could be an issue, but a good horse can overcome that.
#7- Rise Above (Mwn Racing, ridden by J L Ortiz)- This horse has done well to live up to his name over his thirteen race career as he has never failed to get some sort of the purse for his trainer. Mwn Racing picked him up for $28.000 in an August 2019 maiden claimer, and has done well for him. He ended up having a thirteen month layoff but it did not keep him from winning in August at SAR. Comes off a win in the Appreciation Mile last month.
#8- Electric (Angelos Stable, ridden by A Cedillo)- Picked up in a claimer from Smokey Stover for $30.000 in July, and Angelos Stable did not waste any time putting him back out there. Just two weeks after the acquisition, he ran again at the Spa, and was second in an allowance. Then, another two weeks off before winning the ELP Derby. Eventually, that stretch ended with the PA Derby but he might be back where he likes it here as it has been just three weeks since his last race, running third in the ONT Derby.
#9- Ginger Sand (The Sidley Stud, ridden by J J Hernandez)- This Ginger Haggis gelding has five wins over his fourteen starts, and has been hot recently. Won three in a row from June to August, starting with the $50.000 Barker and ending with the Grade 3 Longacres Mile at EMD. That run came to an end in his last start, when, with lasix added, he was third in a PRX optional claimer. As of now, lasix is not scheduled to return.
Prediction: 5-7-8-9
— NS
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
