Pacific Classic winner Mixto tries to bounce back in Native Diver

The last of the dirt stakes races on the fall stakes schedule has attracted a six pack of talented runners Saturday at Del Mar. The Grade 3 Native Diver is a 1 1/8 mile event for 3-year-olds and up and features this summer’s Grade 1 Pacific Classic winner Mixto.

The 4-year-old colt by Good Magic pulled off a 22-1 upset when he came from behind to run down Full Serrano and win the Pacific Classic by half a length. Full Serrano came back and won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Mixto came back and ran 11th in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

“It was just a tough spot,” trainer Doug O’Neill says. “It was the best of the best and it just wasn’t his day. Fortunately, he came out of it in good shape.”

Antonio Fresu, who has become O’Neill’s go-to rider at Del Mar, is back on Mixto. Kyle Frey rode him in the Pacific Classic and Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Skinner is back in stakes company for Saturday’s test. Highly touted as a 3-year old, the son of Curlin was off for 11 months prior to returning earlier this month.

“His knee was bothering him so we gave him some time off,” trainer John Shirreffs says. “He has always showed a lot of talent and in that last race (a closing second in an allowance sprint at Del Mar November 1) he showed that kick we want to see. He runs the turns really well. When he hits the turns he really closes well.”

Shirreffs says Skinner has worked sensationally since his runner-up finish in his return Breeders’ Cup weekend.

“He was in beast mode this morning,” Shirreffs notes. “He was so strong.”

Despite Skinner’s impressive resume that includes runner-up finishes in the Los Alamitos Derby and last year’s Native Diver, plus a close third in the 2023 Santa Anita Derby, he’s still 1-for-11 lifetime, the lone victory coming when he broke his maiden in February 2023.

Tarantino puts his two-race win streak on the line in the Native Diver. The son of Pioneerof the Nile hasn’t lost since coming over to the Peter Eurton barn in August.

“He came to us pretty healthy,” Eurton says. “Sometimes a change of barns can do that for a horse. I really can’t put my finger on anything particular. Our luck.”

Tarantino won on the front end in both of his recent victories and Eurton sees no reason to change tactics now.

“I think the fact he doesn’t get a lot of dirt in his face helps,” Eurton claims. “We’re definitely not going to change things. We are going and if the one or the two of Bob’s want to go then that’s their prerogative. That’s where we’re going to be.”

The ‘one or two of Bob’s’ are Mirahmadi and Ultra Power. Tarantino beat Ultra Power in a blanket finish last out at Santa Anita. Ultra Power comes back as the morning line favorite in the Native Diver.

The grey or roan colt by Curlin, out of the popular mare Unique Bella, won his 2024 debut in August at Del Mar by seven lengths. The 3-year old had been off for 10 months prior to returning this summer.

Mirahmadi broke his maiden last out in his ninth try. He’s only finished out of the money once and was runner-up to Prince of Monaco in last year’s Del Mar Futurity (G1). He captured his maiden victory by 10 lengths in his return to routing. The son of Into Mischief had been sprinting in his prior five races.

The 47th running of the Native Diver, named after the Hall of Famer who raced in the 1960s, is the eighth race on the Saturday card. Probable post is 7 p.m. EDT.