Skinner Breaks Through for Career High in Native Diver

[Wandering Eyes]

C R K Stable's Skinner (Curlin), second as the favorite as a 3-year-old in last year's GIII Native Diver Stakes, went one better in Saturday's renewal in a breakthrough performance.

The $40,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $510,000 OBS April breezer (:10 1/5) had made only one start since, finishing a very useful second sprinting in an optional claimer on the Breeders' Cup Friday undercard.

Last of six beneath Hector Berrios through an opening quarter in :23.15 here, the 7-2 chance was up a spot in a well-placed fifth through a half mile in :46.15. Skinner began to roll three furlongs from home and set his sights on dueling leaders Tarantino (Pioneerof the Nile) and Mixto (Good Magic) at the top of the stretch. Skinner stormed on by in the lane despite hanging on his left lead to get the money by a length.

“When you looked at the pp's, there was a lot of speed in the race,” winning trainer John Shirreffs said. “Hector (Berrios) did a great job. He didn't let them drop back too far. He hustled a little out of the gate, then he got a nice position and he waited. He crept up then he went to riding him.”

Third as a maiden in the 2022 GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity, Skinner was a very good third in the following term's GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. Scratched from the GI Kentucky Derby after developing a fever, he was second in the Los Alamitos Derby in July, then rolled a pair of fives versus older horses in both the GI Fanduel Racing Pacific Classic Stakes and GI Awesome Again Stakes. He was placed on the shelf after finishing within 1 1/4 lengths of Mr Fisk (Arrogate) in this race last year.

Skinner was featured in our 'Second Chances' series following a debut fifth at Del Mar in 2022.

#3 SKINNER ($9) under @HIBerrios runs down the leaders in the stretch and pulls away to win the $100,000 Native Diver Stakes (G3) at Del Mar. The 4yo son of Curlin trained by John Shirreffs gets his second career win. Congrats to all the connections! pic.twitter.com/aDGvzarG4a

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) November 24, 2024

Pedigree Notes:

Skinner becomes the 63rd graded/group winner worldwide for leading sire Curlin.

Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Skinner is out of 2012 GIII Rancho Bernardo H. winner Winding Way. The full-sister to MGSW & GISP Kauai Katie brought $82,000 from Solis/Litt in foal to Maclean's Music at the 2021 KEENOV sale.

Skinner is bred on the same Curlin x Malibu Moon cross responsible for champion 3-year-old filly Stellar Wind. The wildly successful Curlin x A. P. Indy (sire of Malibu Moon) pairing has produced standouts such as Malathaat, Nest, Global Campaign, Idol, et al.

Winding Way is also responsible for a Nyquist filly of 2023 and a Jackie's Warrior filly of this year. She was bred back to the latter stallion.

Saturday, Del Mar
NATIVE DIVER S.-GIII, $100,500, Del Mar, 11-23, 3yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:48.95, ft.
1–SKINNER, 121, c, 4, by Curlin
                1st Dam: Winding Way (GSW, $208,188),
                                   by Malibu Moon
                2nd Dam: More Than Pretty, by More Than Ready
                3rd Dam: Pretty Livia, by Forest Wildcat
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($40,000 Ylg
'21 KEESEP; $510,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-C R K Stable LLC;
B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-John A.
Shirreffs; J-Hector Isaac Berrios. $60,000. Lifetime Record:
MGISP, 12-2-3-3, $377,300. Werk Nick Rating: A++. *Triple
Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Tarantino, 121, g, 6, Pioneerof the Nile–Without Delay, by
Seeking the Gold. ($610,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP; $240,000 RNA 2yo
'20 KEENOV; $235,000 3yo '21 KEENOV). O-David A. Bernsen
LLC and Rockingham Ranch; B-Fred W. Hertrich III & John D.
Fielding (KY); T-Peter Eurton. $20,000.
3–Mixto, 125, c, 4, Good Magic–Musical Mystery, by Concerto.
($140,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-Calumet Farm; B-Farfellow
Farms Ltd. (KY); T-Chief Stipe F. O'Neill. $12,000.
Margins: 1, HD, 6 1/4. Odds: 3.50, 13.40, 3.10.
Also Ran: Ultra Power, Salesman (Ire), Mirahmadi.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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