# Native Diver Stakes

The Native Diver Stakes is a Grade III American thoroughbred horse race for three-years-old and older over a distance of one and one eighth miles on the dirt held annually in late November at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. The event offers a purse of $100,000.

## History

The race is named for one of the great sprinters and one of California’s most favorite horses, Native Diver, who ranks 60th in Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century.
The event was inaugurated on 6 May 1979 with a recorded crowd of 30,857 in attendance as the Native Diver Handicap at Hollywood Park Racetrack over the one mile distance and was won by the six year old Life's Hope who was trained by the US Hall of Fame trainer Laz Barrera and ridden by the US Hall of Fame jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. in a time of 1:35 flat. The event was classified as Grade II for the first running but the following year it was downgraded to Grade III. The event has remained at that classification.
The 1981 running was scheduled for the Hollywood Park Fall meeting and held on Thanksgiving Day weekend.
The distance of the event was increased to 1+1⁄16 miles in 1982 then reverted to 1 mile in 1984. In 1986 the distance was set at 1+1⁄8 miles and has remained at that to date. From 2006 to 2014 it was held on a synthetic dirt surface.
In the 2008 edition, Slew's Tizzy set a new Hollywood Park record for the all weather track for 1+1⁄8 miles with a winning time of 1:46.78. The time however was not faster than the dirt stakes record which was set by the 1995 Argentine three year old champion Gentlemen (ARG) in the 1996 when he won by nine lengths in 1:45.35.
The event was run as a handicap prior to 2012.
With the closure of Hollywood Park Racetrack in 2013 the event was moved to Del Mar Racetrack.

## Records

Speed record:
* 1+1⁄8 miles: 1:45.35 – Gentlemen (ARG) (1996)
* 1 miles: 1:33.40 - Innamorato (1985)
Margins:
* 9 lengths – Gentlemen (ARG) (1996)
Most wins:
* no horse with more than one win
Most wins by an owner:
* 2 – Elmendorf Farm (1980, 1981)
* 2 – Golden Eagle Farm (1994, 1999)
* 2 – C R K Stable (2011, 2019)
* 2 – Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman (2021, 2022)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 7 – Chris McCarron (1981, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1999)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 8 – Richard E. Mandella (1983, 1986, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2003, 2020)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade |
| At Del Mar – Native Diver Stakes |||||||||||
| 2023 | Mr Fisk | 3 | Juan J. Hernandez | Bob Baffert | Sunny Brook Stables | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.69 | $101,000 | III |
| 2022 | Defunded | 4 | Edwin Maldonado | Bob Baffert | Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.12 | $150,500 | III |
| 2021 | Azul Coast | 4 | Flavien Prat | Bob Baffert | Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.55 | $100,500 | III |
| 2020 | Extra Hope | 4 | Juan Hernandez | Richard E. Mandella | Jay Em Ess Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.11 | $98,000 | III |
| 2019 | Midcourt | 4 | Victor Espinoza | John Shirreffs | C R K Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.36 | $98,000 | III |
| 2018 | Battle of Midway | 4 | Flavien Prat | Jerry Hollendorfer | Don Alberto Stable & WinStar Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.23 | $92,000 | III |
| 2017 | Prime Attraction | 4 | Victor Espinoza | James M. Cassidy | D P Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.87 | $100,690 | III |
| 2016 | Midnight Storm | 5 | Mike E. Smith | Philip D'Amato | Alex Venneri Racing & Little Red Feather Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.59 | $100,690 | III |
| 2015 | Dortmund | 3 | Gary L. Stevens | Bob Baffert | Kaleem Shah | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.06 | $150,000 | III |
| 2014 | Big Cazanova (ARG) | 5 | Elvis Trujillo | Peter L. Miller | Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, Brous Stable & Dona Licha | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.28 | $200,500 | III |
| At Hollywood Park – Native Diver Stakes |||||||||||
| 2013 | Blueskiesnrainbows | 4 | Martin A. Pedroza | Jerry Hollendorfer | Bad Boy Racing & Whizway Farms | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.07 | $150,500 | III |
| 2012 | Game On Dude | 5 | Mike E. Smith | Bob Baffert | Diamond Pride, Lanni Family Trust, Mercedes Stable & Bernie Schiappa | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:52.27 | $242,500 | III |
| Native Diver Handicap |||||||||||
| 2011 | Kettle Corn | 4 | Garrett K. Gomez | John W. Sadler | C R K Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.03 | $100,000 | III |
| 2010 | Aggie Engineer | 5 | Joseph Talamo | Patrick Gallagher | Ward and Roberta Williford | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.04 | $100,000 | III |
| 2009 | Mast Track | 5 | Rafael Bejarano | Humberto Ascanio | Stronach Stables | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.53 | $100,000 | III |
| 2008 | Slew's Tizzy | 4 | Joel Rosario | Doug F. O'Neill | Joseph Lacombe Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:46.78 | $108,200 | III |
| 2007 | Heatseeker (IRE) | 4 | Michael C. Baze | Jerry Hollendorfer | William Deburgh | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.23 | $111,800 | III |
| 2006 | Saint Stephen | 6 | Garrett K. Gomez | Christophe Clement | Charles E. & Susan T. Harris & Susan Karches | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.71 | $100,000 | III |
| 2005 | Trotamondo (CHI) | 4 | Garrett K. Gomez | Laura de Seroux | A-Mark Racing, Bogtufi, Bridport, S. A., Liliana Solari | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.92 | $100,000 | III |
| 2004 | Truly a Judge | 6 | Martin A. Pedroza | David Bernstein | Alan Aidekman, Gaylord Ailshie & Tom Harris | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.06 | $100,000 | III |
| 2003 | Olmodavor | 4 | Alex O. Solis | Richard E. Mandella | Wertheimer et Frere | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.16 | $100,000 | III |
| 2002 | Piensa Sonando (CHI) | 6 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Ron McAnally | Nelson Bunker Hunt | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.43 | $100,000 | III |
| 2001 | Momentum | 3 | Corey Nakatani | Craig Dollase | J. Paul Reddam | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.24 | $100,000 | III |
| 2000 | Sky Jack | 4 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Doug F. O'Neill | Ren-Mar Thoroughbreds | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:46.81 | $100,000 | III |
| 1999 | General Challenge | 3 | Chris McCarron | Bob Baffert | Golden Eagle Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.07 | $100,000 | III |
| 1998 | Puerto Madero (CHI) | 4 | Kent J. Desormeaux | Richard E. Mandella | Randall D. Hubbard & Dwight Sutherland | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.43 | $100,000 | III |
| 1997 | Refinado Tom (ARG) | 4 | Gary L. Stevens | Richard E. Mandella | Refinado Tom Inc. | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.84 | $100,000 | III |
| 1996 | Gentlemen (ARG) | 4 | Gary L. Stevens | Richard E. Mandella | Haras de La Pomme | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:45.35 | $106,400 | III |
| 1995 | Alphabet Soup | 4 | Chris Antley | David E. Hofmans | Ridder Thoroughbred Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.03 | $106,400 | III |
| 1994 | Best Pal | 6 | Chris McCarron | Richard E. Mandella | Golden Eagle Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.44 | $109,000 | III |
| 1993 | Slew of Damascus | 5 | Corey Nakatani | Craig G. Roberts | Edris Harbeston, George Losh & Vic Naccaroto | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.46 | $108,300 | III |
| 1992 | Sir Beaufort | 5 | Chris McCarron | Charles E. Whittingham | Victoria Calantoni | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.88 | $106,700 | III |
| 1991 | Twilight Agenda | 5 | Chris McCarron | D. Wayne Lukas | Moyglare Stud | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.00 | $103,100 | III |
| 1990 | Warcraft | 3 | Chris McCarron | Charles E. Whittingham | Mary Bradley, Charles E. Whittingham & Nancy Chandler | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.40 | $108,500 | III |
| 1989 | Ruhlmann | 4 | Chris McCarron | Charles E. Whittingham | Jerome S. Moss | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.00 | $108,100 | III |
| 1988 | Cutlass Reality | 6 | Gary L. Stevens | Craig Anthony Lewis | Howard Crash & Jim Hankoff | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.60 | $114,100 | III |
| 1987 | Epidaurus | 5 | Pat Valenzuela | Charles E. Whittingham | Elizabeth A. Keck | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.60 | $159,200 | III |
| 1986 | Hopeful Word | 5 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Richard E. Mandella | James Clifton, Robert Doll, Barrett Morris | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.80 | $153,800 | III |
| 1985 | Innamorato | 4 | Sandy Hawley | Jay M. Robbins | Fred Duckett & Paniolo Ranch | 1 mile | 1:33.40 | $143,900 | III |
| 1984 | Lord At War (ARG) | 4 | Bill Shoemaker | Charles E. Whittingham | Peter & Diane Perkins | 1 mile | 1:35.40 | $121,925 | III |
| 1983 | Menswear | 5 | Fernando Toro | Richard E. Mandella | Sam Bretzfield & Hal Oliver | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.40 | $108,200 | III |
| 1982 | Native Tactics | 4 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Neil D. Drysdale | Saron Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:35.40 | $107,700 | III |
| 1981 | Syncopate | 6 | Chris McCarron | Ron McAnally | Elmendorf Farm | 1 mile | 1:38.80 | $108,500 | III |
| 1980 | Replant | 6 | Bill Shoemaker | Ron McAnally | Elmendorf Farm | 1 mile | 1:34.20 | $108,000 | III |
| 1979 | Life's Hope | 6 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Laz Barrera | Harbor View Farm | 1 mile | 1:35.00 | $54,000 | II |
Legend:
 All Weather Track  Dirt