I have to add to my earlier comment,I'm still blown away by what that horse was capable of. He looks like a wild horse running like his hair is on fire going by the stands the 1st time. And he is going 1 1/4,and he pulls away from a very good horse in Pretense. Every race on this video shows the same thing,I just can't help but to be totally amazed by him. I knew he was good,but after seeing this video,I realize he was much,much more than that,thanks for putting this on. He's right near the top.
I was so lucky to have lived in LA during his career. I saw him run on many occasions, especially all of his Hollywood Gold Cup wins. I used to go to Hollywood Park in the mornings just to watch him work out. He was possibly the most magnificent horse I have ever seen. And I'm old!
Cont- It is hard for me as a horseman to comprehend the magnitude of what Native Diver did. My experiences would tell me that this was not possible,but it happened. I can't stress that enough. Ironically he was never honored with a championship. There is no doubt he was more than worthy,he has to be the greatest horse who was never named a champion. But to me at least he was a champion for the ages. This horse deserves to be talked about. He in my mind was the other great gelding of the 60's!
I've always liked Native Diver,seeing this video made me like him even more. I love this horse even more now. I love horses who run the way he did. Kinda like Dr. Fager,the lead is his to have and he will not give way without one helluva fight. Remember this dude won the Gold Cup (10 furlongs) 3 years in a row(this is in itself incredible) He was a horse who could scorch sprint distances,and was capable of winning (not just getting) at 10 furlongs in the best of company,wow what a horse.
This is from the Blood-Horse Top 100 TB's. "More brilliant horses have competed,but Native Diver had a charisma and scarcely harnessed energy that drew people to him.The perception that he only tolerated the bridle and merely indulged his rider added to his mystique. It was "The Diver" who had control. Rivals found it impossible to catch the free-wheeling geldingwhen he was alone on the lead,but found it even more futile to attempt to run with him. His strategy was simple Cont-
Cont- in his 2nd Holly. GC,he went 45 1/5-1:09 1/5-1:34 1/5-2:00 flat!,he won by 4 3/4! chart comment "speed to spare" thats an understatement! He did it again in his last G.C.,with fractions of 45 4/5-1:09 2/5-1:34 2/5-1:58 4/5!!!!!,he won by 5! I ask you to look hard at those fractions for that distance. That was unreal,this guy should have never been able to do that. But he did it routinely. He was a record setter at 6F-9F. He set six track records he raced for 7 years and never lost a step!
No arguement from me at all,I won't try to pin down where his rating is on the top 100,but 60 is way to low. He was not a horse who you could rate,from riding horses I know you can't force a horse with his temperament to rate. What happens is the horse fights you and uses up his energy,they also will resent your holding them back and sometimes just say forget it. A good rider will comprimise with him and the results showed. He would have been a monster match race horse,speed kills in match races
Some would say,oh he ran 1:58 and change on concrete tracks. He's just a California horse,so what! If that is what a California horse looks like,then I'll buy every darn one that looks like him!!
Cont- "his strategy was simple: Run as fast as you can for as far as you can. No one who saw "The Diver" run doubted he loved his profession. Native Diver so enjoyed running that he rarely felt his rider's whip." This dude was a headstrong sprinter who could carry his speed to 10 F. He routinely ran fractions that were simply unearthly. And he did it with regularity. How about his Holly. G C wins at 10F. His 1st one were 44 4/5!-1:08 4/5! -1:34 1/5!,and he was extending his lead to 2:00 1/5!Cont
Gotta love that riderless horse. Obviously knew where the finish line was, and wanted to win. Priceless.
I have to add to my earlier comment,I'm still blown away by what that horse was capable of. He looks like a wild horse running like his hair is on fire going by the stands the 1st time. And he is going 1 1/4,and he pulls away from a very good horse in Pretense. Every race on this video shows the same thing,I just can't help but to be totally amazed by him. I knew he was good,but after seeing this video,I realize he was much,much more than that,thanks for putting this on. He's right near the top.
I was so lucky to have lived in LA during his career. I saw him run on many occasions, especially all of his Hollywood Gold Cup wins. I used to go to Hollywood Park in the mornings just to watch him work out.
He was possibly the most magnificent horse I have ever seen. And I'm old!
Thanks for the great video.
I was cheering him on watching this. That was just awesome! Very intelligent horse.
It is amazing that the loose horse still ran the whole race without a rider.
Cont- It is hard for me as a horseman to comprehend the magnitude of what Native Diver did. My experiences would tell me that this was not possible,but it happened. I can't stress that enough. Ironically he was never honored with a championship. There is no doubt he was more than worthy,he has to be the greatest horse who was never named a champion. But to me at least he was a champion for the ages. This horse deserves to be talked about. He in my mind was the other great gelding of the 60's!
If O´Hara had a jockey on him, everyone would say what a great race he rode. Thanks for posting these
I've always liked Native Diver,seeing this video made me like him even more. I love this horse even more now. I love horses who run the way he did. Kinda like Dr. Fager,the lead is his to have and he will not give way without one helluva fight. Remember this dude won the Gold Cup (10 furlongs) 3 years in a row(this is in itself incredible) He was a horse who could scorch sprint distances,and was capable of winning (not just getting) at 10 furlongs in the best of company,wow what a horse.
This is from the Blood-Horse Top 100 TB's. "More brilliant horses have competed,but Native Diver had a charisma and scarcely harnessed energy that drew people to him.The perception that he only tolerated the bridle and merely indulged his rider added to his mystique. It was "The Diver" who had control. Rivals found it impossible to catch the free-wheeling geldingwhen he was alone on the lead,but found it even more futile to attempt to run with him. His strategy was simple Cont-
Cont- in his 2nd Holly. GC,he went 45 1/5-1:09 1/5-1:34 1/5-2:00 flat!,he won by 4 3/4! chart comment "speed to spare" thats an understatement! He did it again in his last G.C.,with fractions of 45 4/5-1:09 2/5-1:34 2/5-1:58 4/5!!!!!,he won by 5! I ask you to look hard at those fractions for that distance. That was unreal,this guy should have never been able to do that. But he did it routinely. He was a record setter at 6F-9F. He set six track records he raced for 7 years and never lost a step!
It "won" but was disqualified since he didn't have a rider on. You have to have a jockey on the horse in order to win the race.
what a horse nice
No arguement from me at all,I won't try to pin down where his rating is on the top 100,but 60 is way to low. He was not a horse who you could rate,from riding horses I know you can't force a horse with his temperament to rate. What happens is the horse fights you and uses up his energy,they also will resent your holding them back and sometimes just say forget it. A good rider will comprimise with him and the results showed. He would have been a monster match race horse,speed kills in match races
remember what the diver paid that day
i do $11.80
didn't the loose horse win?
Some would say,oh he ran 1:58 and change on concrete tracks. He's just a California horse,so what! If that is what a California horse looks like,then I'll buy every darn one that looks like him!!
Oh, how sad that he couldn't give us foals with that kind of fire!
haha. his owners better have treated him well after this because he thought he had won! did he ever race/win after this?
Cont- "his strategy was simple: Run as fast as you can for as far as you can. No one who saw "The Diver" run doubted he loved his profession. Native Diver so enjoyed running that he rarely felt his rider's whip." This dude was a headstrong sprinter who could carry his speed to 10 F. He routinely ran fractions that were simply unearthly. And he did it with regularity. How about his Holly. G C wins at 10F. His 1st one were 44 4/5!-1:08 4/5! -1:34 1/5!,and he was extending his lead to 2:00 1/5!Cont