San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
CHANGE IN TACTICS WORKS
A year ago, Midcourt ran away from Extra Hope to win the Grade III Native Diver Stakes at Del Mar.
Going into Saturday’s 42nd edition of the 11⁄8-mile run for older horses on the main track, Midcourt had raced seven times with a win, a second to Maximum Security in the San Diego Handicap and third-place finishes in three other Grade I stakes.
Meanwhile, Extra Hope took nine months off and finished fifth in his return (almost 11 lengths off the lead) before winning an allowance race at Santa Anita on Sept. 26.
But Extra Hope, with Juan Hernandez up, evened the score with Midcourt on Saturday, breaking sharply and leading wire to wire, defeating the rallying Midcourt by a length to win the 2020 edition of the $100,000 Native Diver stakes.
To hear Hernandez and trainer Richard Mandella tell it, it was pretty much over at the start — especially since the 2-5 favorite Midcourt was bumped by Mandella’s other entry in the four-horse field leaving the gate.
Jockey Mike Smith was almost unseated as second choice Royal Ship stumbled leaving the third gate, bumping into Midcourt as Victor Espinoza’s horse was breaking from the No. 4 gate.
Midcourt gave chase, but never caught Extra Hope.
“I told Juan to ‘spin the tires’ out of the gate,” said Mandella.
“Running out front is what we planned with Extra Hope.”
“That was the plan, to go for the lead right away,” said Hernandez. “He helped me a lot the way he broke so good out of there. Then he was running nice and easy for me. He was relaxed. At the quarter pole, I asked him to go and he gave me a nice reply.”
Extra Hope, a 4-year-old son of Shanghai Bobby, paid $10.40 to win. Midcourt took second shortly after the start and was never farther than 11⁄2 lengths back.
Extra Hope took nine months off after running second to Midcourt in the 2019 Native Diver.
“There was no big reason,” said Mandella. “He was kind of tired, stiff all over and needed a rest.”
As for his disappointing finish in his first start back, Mandela said: “Extra Hope doesn’t take life real serious, so he wasn’t getting out of his training what he needed. But the one race did it.”
Notable
Irad Ortiz Jr., who is ranked No. 1 in North American purses for a third straight year, is not the lone jockey heading west to ride Del Mar’s final four days. Joel Rosario, who is No. 2 to Ortiz this year, will also be at Del Mar starting on Thanksgiving, as will Manny Franco (No. 10 in earnings). They are at Del Mar because the Bing Crosby meeting ends next weekend with seven stakes races in four days.
Ten California-bred or sired 3-year-olds — led by stakes winners Galilean, Take the One O One and El Tigre Terrible — are entered in today’s feature, the 7-furlong, $100,000 Cary Grant Stakes.
Flavien Prat won three races Saturday to take sole possession of second place in the jockey standings with 10 wins. Abel Cedillo won two races and has a six-win lead over Prat, who missed the first four days of the meeting.