Extra Hope Breaks Through in Native Diver
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Extra Hope (blue and green cap) wins the Native Diver Stakes at Del Mar
After chasing Midcourt in second throughout in the Native Diver Stakes (G3) a year ago, Extra Hope got the jump out of the gate Nov. 21 and led from there to the finish line to win the $98,000 nine-furlong event at Del Mar.
Extra Hope, a homebred for Samantha Siegel's Jay Em Ess Stable trained by Richard Mandella, has now won two of three races this year following a nine-month layoff since last year's Native Diver. Overall, the 4-year-old Shanghai Bobby colt has a 4-2-3 record from 14 starts and $294,831 in earnings.
"That's what we planned with Extra Hope," Mandella said about sending the colt to the lead. "I told (jockey Juan Hernandez) 'Spin the tires' out of the gate a little bit. (Extra Hope) kind of doesn't take life real serious, so he wasn't getting out of his training what he needed to before his first race off the layoff. But the one race did it. He's been doing good since then.
"We'll look at the Big 'Cap (Santa Anita Handicap, G1, next year) and possibly the San Antonio (G2) on opening day at Santa Anita."
While Extra Hope got a clean break under Juan Hernandez, Royal Ship stumbled badly before regaining his footing to chase in last of four. Midcourt was bumped by Royal Ship and stalked on the outside in second while Combatant hugged the rail in third.
Extra Hope led through fractions of :23.86, :47.79, 1:11.45, and 1:37.02 to reach a mile with a 1 1/2-length advantage. Jockey Victor Espinoza encouraged Midcourt to find another gear entering the final stretch, but Extra Hope held strong and remained unthreatened on the front before crossing the wire a length the best.
The final time on the fast track was 1:50.11.
"That was the plan—to go for the lead right away. He helped me a lot the way he broke so good out of there," Hernandez said. "Then he was running nice and easy for me; he was relaxed. At the quarter pole I asked him and he gave me a good reply."
Extra Hope paid $10.40 to win as he collected his first stakes win. He placed in the Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity (G1) as a juvenile. Midcourt checked in second, followed by Combatant and Royal Ship.
Bred in Kentucky, Extra Hope is out of the Tiznow mare Lotsandlotsofhope, the dam of two winners from three starters, as well as a yearling Goldencents filly named Lotsandlotsofgold and a weanling Into Mischief colt named Lots of Mischief. Lotsandlotsofhope, reported bred to Twirling Candy this year, is from the female family of grade 1 winners Got Stormy and New Year's Day and grade 2 winners Penny's Reshoot, Smooth Air, Overdriven, Justwhistledixie, and Mohaymen .