Nevada Beach Back to Winning Ways with Workman-like Effort in Native Diver

[Wandering Eyes]

While the GI Breeders' Cup Classic may have turned out to be a jump too high for him, Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach) bounced back from that effort with a workman-like victory in the GIII Native Diver Stakes at Del Mar.

Despite only starting his career in mid-April this year, the son of Omaha Beach has cobbled together a respectable 2025 campaign with wins in the Los Alamitos Derby in late June and the 'WAYI' GI Goodwood Stakes two back Sept. 27 at Santa Anita. The lattermost effort guaranteed him a spot in the World Championships earlier this month, and he was 18-1 in that contest as Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) made history for Japan. Nevada Beach was never a factor in seventh.

On the strength of his running lines, and despite facing older horses once again here, the betting public hammered the Bob Baffert-trainee into favoritism to the tune of 1-9 odds by the time the gates opened. He watched it all unfold from third as Westwood (Authentic) stepped out to set the tempo with British Isles (Justify) never far away from him. That pair rolled through six furlongs in 1:11.25 and got a mile in 1:35.92 as Nevada Beach inched closer to them along the far bend. Challenging for the lead as Westwood threw out a white flag, British Isles was less willing to call it quits and the duo locked horns into the final furlong before the eventual winner finally got the best of his challenger. Nevada Beach came home a measured half-length victor over British Isles and it was 2 1/4 back to longtime leader Westwood. Indispensable (Constitution) trailed for the duration in fourth.

“He went easy today, but [compared to] his last race, it's almost like two different horses,” said winning rider Juan Hernandez. “He broke a step slow. I had to help him get into the rhythm. Around the three-eighths pole, I had to start working on him, because he was getting a little lazy on me. But Bob [Baffert] knows that this horse has talent. I trust Bob, so I started working on [Nevada Beach] and it worked out.”

“He is a big horse, he is a train. He got the job done though. I want to give my thanks to the owners for giving me the confidence. He may want to run a little more distance, he galloped out of the race well.”

 

 

It was a battle down the stretch! NEVADA BEACH ($2.20) took home the $100,000 Native Diver Stakes (G3) with @JJHernandezS19 in the irons. Bob Baffert trains the son of @spendthriftfarm Omaha Beach. pic.twitter.com/3hzUS1X1On

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) November 23, 2025

 

Pedigree Notes:

Nevada Beach is the lone black-type winner, and Grade I horse, for his dam–herself a multiple stakes winner who is a half-sister to an elite level runner. Morrow Cove (Yes It's True) claims a perfect strike rate with her offspring, however, as all five to make it to the races have gotten their picture taken, and four of them on several occasions, including Nevada Beach. Her last registered is a juvenile filly named Queen of Cairo (American Pharoah).

The aforementioned half-sibling to the dam is GI American Oaks victress Decked Out (Street Boss), who also ran second in the GI Del Mar Oaks in her time on the track. This is the immediate female family of GSW Katonah (Klimt) and GSW Odysseus (Malibu Moon).

 

Saturday, Del Mar
NATIVE DIVER S.-GIII, $98,000, Del Mar, 11-22, 3yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:48.35, ft.
1–NEVADA BEACH, 122, c, 3, by Omaha Beach
          1st Dam: Morrow Cove (MSW, $182,610), by Yes It's True
          2nd Dam: Once Around, by You and I
          3rd Dam: Persimmon Hill, by Conquistador Cielo
($260,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-Pegram, Michael E., Watson, Karl & Weitman, Paul; B-Paul Tackett Revocable Trust, Phil Tackett Estate & Christy Tackett (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $60,000. Lifetime Record: GISW, 6-4-1-0, $426,500. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–British Isles, 121, g, 4, Justify–Purely Hot, by Pure Prize. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Slam Dunk Racing, Baltas, Richard & McClanahan, Jerry; B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY); T-Richard Baltas. $20,000.
3–Westwood, 118, g, 3, Authentic–Indian Bay, by Indian Charlie. ($700,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-C R K Stable LLC; B-Hinkle Farms (KY); T-John A. Shirreffs. $12,000.
Margins: HF, 2 1/4, 5 3/4. Odds: 0.10, 16.50, 8.60.
Also Ran: Indispensable. Scratched: Clouseau.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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