Exotics Plays for the Native Diver Stakes

Grade 1 winner #3 Nevada Beach will lead a compact field of five postward in Saturday’s $100,000 Native Diver S. (G3) at Del Mar. Trained by Bob Baffert, the dark bay debuted in April and scored at first asking when running one mile at Santa Anita, and he has continued to progress since. The $260,000 yearling purchase was an easy winner of the Los Alamitos Derby in his third career engagement, and he earned his signature tally with a decisive win in the Goodwood S. (G1) on Sept. 27. 

Native Diver Exotics

• $20 exacta 3 with 1 ($20)
• $15 trifecta 3 with 1 with 4 ($15)
• $5 trifecta 3 with 4 with 1 ($5)

In his most recent appearance, Nevada Beach was never a serious threat in the especially rich Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), but the sophomore faces a much more reasonable task on Saturday. He has posted two useful morning drills in advance of his second run on the oval, and looks best in the field with Juan Hernandez taking the reins.

#1 Indispensable is just 2-for-16 in his lifetime, but the Constitution colt owns four placings in his five lifetime runs in the stakes ranks and makes sense in this endeavor. Trained by the red-hot John Sadler, the expensive yearling purchase comes off a solid third in the Ack Ack S. (G3) at Churchill Downs last time out and gets back on a strip where he dons a 6-2-2-1 mark. The bay has kept some pretty strong company in his last pair of tilts and could easily round out the exacta with his best effort. Hector Berrios will have him forcing the pace early in a group lacking an abundance of early foot. 

A wildcard that I will toss in the verticals is #4 British Isles for conditioner Richard Baltas. The son of Justify has not run on the main oval for some time, but his half-brother, Eight Rings, was a Grade 1 victor on the dirt and also finished third in this race in 2021, as well. The Kentucky-bred gelding has posted four seemingly good morning moves on the course in preparation for Saturday, and he’s worth a top-three chance in a small field at a healthy price. The chestnut will try to pass runners in the lane beneath Diego Herrera.