The Native Diver Stakes is named after one of the greatest California-breds of all time, a fan favorite whose blend of speed, stamina, and durability led to three straight wins in the Hollywood Gold Cup from 1965 to 1967.

The 1 1/8-mile dirt race for 3-year-olds and older, held three weeks after the Breeders’ Cup World Championships were hosted at Del Mar, drew a field of five that includes Longines Classic runner Nevada Beach from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

1. Indispensable: Still seeking his first career stakes win, Indispensable has finished in the top three in four of his five previous stakes attempts with the lone unplaced finish coming in a Grade 1 race. One of these days he’s going to earn a breakthrough win. Strong speed figures and recent workouts indicate that day could be Saturday.

JOCKEY: Hector Berrios; TRAINER: John Sadler

2. Westwood: He was well-beaten in two stakes tries earlier this year but has strung together three solid races since then, including a front-running win on this track in August that preceded back-to-back runner-up finishes. Will be interesting to see how he handles the jump back up to stakes competition. 

JOCKEY: Umberto Rispoli; TRAINER: John Shirreffs

3. Nevada Beach: The Omaha Beach colt enters off a seventh-place finish in the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic against a powerhouse field after posting three wins and a second in his first four starts. He’s 2-for-2 at this 1 1/8-mile distance. If he can run a race similar to his 1 ½-length win in the Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes in September, the others are running for second.

JOCKEY: Juan Hernandez; TRAINER: Bob Baffert

4. British Isles: He’s made his last 18 starts on the grass and is unplaced in three lifetime tries on the dirt, with his most recent race on that surface coming in December 2023. Worth a shot in a five-horse field but hard to see him finding the winner’s circle.

JOCKEY: Diego Herrera; TRAINER: Richard Baltas

5. Clouseau: Deep closer placed in three stakes in 2023 but has not been a factor at that level in three tries over the last two years. Last two stakes attempts were turf races against California-breds and he most recently ran fourth in a one-mile allowance-optional claiming race, so this is a huge challenge in terms of class.

JOCKEY: Kyle Frey; TRAINER: George Papaprodromou

THE PICK: Nevada Beach

LIVE LONGSHOT: British Isles

TRIFECTA: 3-1-2