Eight Rings Back From BC to Head Native Diver

In a wide-open renewal of the $100,000 Native Diver Stakes (G3) Nov. 20 at Del Mar, eight older horses, including three trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, will hook up for a 1 1/8-mile main-track tussle.

This will be the 44th running of the Native Diver, named for one of California's greatest stakes horses and its first to win $1 million in purses. The initial 36 editions of the race were conducted at the now-shuttered Hollywood Park, while the seven most recent have been held at Del Mar.

A check of the past performances of the eight runners indicates the closely-matched nature of the field. Morning-line oddsmaker Jon White made Eight Rings  the lukewarm favorite at 7-2.  A 4-year-old colt by Empire Maker , trained by Baffert and owned by Coolmore Stud, Golconda Stable, Madaket Stables, SF Racing, and Starlight Racing, has earned $414,451, with much of that coming during his grade 1-winning 2-year-old season. That year he won the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park.

The two runners right behind him at 4-1 on the line are C R K Stable's Midcourt , the 2019 Native Diver winner and second in the race last year, and Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman's Azul Coast , a Super Saver   4-year-old colt who now has three races under his belt this year after a 10-month layoff. John Shirreffs trains Midcourt, who was eased from his last start in the Awesome Again Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Oct. 2, while Baffert conditions Azul Coast.

John Sondereker's Kiss Today Goodbye , trained by Eric Kruljac, is next at 5-1. Eighth last out in the San Diego Handicap (G2) over the summer at Del Mar, he adds blinkers.

Eight Rings chased free-wheeling Life Is Good  in the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) Nov. 6 at Del Mar, finishing fourth, beaten 6 3/4 lengths. He subsequently turned in a bullet five-furlong drill at Santa Anita Nov. 15.

After a disappointing 3-year-old campaign, he became competitive again in graded stakes company this year. He ran second in the Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) and fourth in the Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2) at Del Mar when matched against eventual Breeders' Cup starters in Dr. Schivel , Ginobili , and C Z Rocket .

Eight Rings then won an allowance optional claimer at Santa Anita by four lengths before racing in the Dirt Mile.

Midcourt, a 6-year-old gelding by Midnight Lute  , has finished in the top three in 13 of his 18 starts and sports a bankroll of $613,195. He's a multiple graded stakes winner with a 2-2-1 record in five dirt starts at Del Mar.

Azul Coast should be ready to fire his best shot. He's had a series of good works of late since finishing seventh in the Awesome Again at Santa Anita.

Ax Man , a 6-year-old gelding by Misremembered  , is Baffert's final entrant. The winner of seven races and $363,797 will be making his first start in seven months.

Entries: Native Diver S. (G3)

Del Mar, Saturday, November 20, 2021, Race 8

• Grade III
• 1 1/8m
• Dirt
• $100,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 4:00 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Established (KY)	Victor Espinoza	121	Richard Baltas	-
2	Midcourt (KY)	Edwin A. Maldonado	121	John A. Shirreffs	-
3	Wicked Trick (KY)	UMBERTO RISPOLI	121	Robert B. Hess, Jr.	-
4	Bal Harbour (KY)	Joe Bravo	121	Gregory D. Sacco	-
5	Azul Coast (KY)	Flavien Prat	121	Bob Baffert	-
6	Eight Rings (KY)	Juan J. Hernandez	121	Bob Baffert	-
7	Ax Man (KY)	Mike E. Smith	121	Bob Baffert	-
8	Kiss Today Goodbye (KY)	Kent J. Desormeaux	121	J. Eric Kruljac	-