Native Diver
Encyclopedia
Native Diver was an American Thoroughbred
racehorse
bred and owned by Mr. and Mrs. Louis K. Shapiro who had claimed his dam, Fleet Diver, the daughter of Devil Diver
out of Our Fleet by Count Fleet
. Despite the fact that her immediate lineage included members of Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
(Count Fleet at no. 5 and Devil Diver at no. 55), as well as the fact that Fleet Diver had just given jockey
Johnny Longden
his 4,000th racing win, Our Fleet's claiming price was the small sum of $3,500. They bought the race mare in January 1954. Five years later, she gave them Native Diver. He was by Imbros, himself a good racehorse, having set a world record in the Californian Stakes
of 1954.
He was called "the Diver," and though he never won outside California
or brought home any championships, he was as much a matinee idol in his time as Silky Sullivan
was a few years earlier. He was wild from the beginning, injuring his back in a youthful fit of enthusiasm. Often he ran holding his head high to ease the strain on his spine. He was gelded
to calm him down, but it seemed to make little difference.
At two, Native Diver won his first three starts by a combined margin of 23 3/4 lengths and was on his way to setting six career track records. He set three of those records carrying 130 pounds. He was a versatile runner who could sprint at six furlong
s or rate at nine, setting track records at both distances. He won stakes at six California racetracks, being the second horse ever to accomplish that feat.
But his greatest feat, which he is most remembered for, took place at Hollywood Park in Inglewood
. Native Diver won the Hollywood Gold Cup
three times in a row, from 1965 to 1967, finishing faster each time. Jockey Jerry Lambert was on board for each Gold Cup win.
Native Diver was still racing at eight years of age; his owners vowed to retire him when he started to slow down. Eight days after he won the Del Mar Handicap
in 1967, equaling the track record, he fell ill with colic
. He was taken to the equine hospital at University of California
at Davis
, and died there the next day.
Native Diver won 34 stakes races, was the seventh racing millionaire, and was the first California-bred to earn a million dollars. He is buried in the Garden Paddock at Hollywood Park under a monument designed by Millard Sheets
.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
bred and owned by Mr. and Mrs. Louis K. Shapiro who had claimed his dam, Fleet Diver, the daughter of Devil Diver
Devil Diver
Devil Diver was an American Thoroughbred racehorse foaled at Mrs. Payne Whitney's Greentree Stable in Lexington, Kentucky. A bay colt by Sir Germans, he was out of Dabchick, and a member of the same foal crop as Shut Out...
out of Our Fleet by Count Fleet
Count Fleet
Count Fleet was born and died at Stoner Creek Stud farm in Paris, Kentucky, United States. He was a Thoroughbred racehorse and Triple Crown champion in 1943....
. Despite the fact that her immediate lineage included members of Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
In 1999, a panel for The Blood-Horse magazine was made up of distinguished horse racing people: Howard Battle, Lenny Hale, Jay Hovdey, William Nack, Pete Pedersen, Jennie Rees and Tommy Trotter. These experts compiled a list of what they considered to be the top 100 United States thoroughbred...
(Count Fleet at no. 5 and Devil Diver at no. 55), as well as the fact that Fleet Diver had just given jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
Johnny Longden
Johnny Longden
John Eric Longden was an American Hall of Fame jockey. He was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England but his father wanted to build a better life for his family so in 1909 emigrated to Canada, settling in Taber, Alberta. By 1912 Longden Sr. had saved enough money to send for his wife and young son...
his 4,000th racing win, Our Fleet's claiming price was the small sum of $3,500. They bought the race mare in January 1954. Five years later, she gave them Native Diver. He was by Imbros, himself a good racehorse, having set a world record in the Californian Stakes
Californian Stakes
The Californian Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second week of June at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. The Grade II event is open to horses age three and up willing to race one and one-eighth miles on the dirt...
of 1954.
He was called "the Diver," and though he never won outside California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
or brought home any championships, he was as much a matinee idol in his time as Silky Sullivan
Silky Sullivan
Silky Sullivan was an American thoroughbred race horse best known for his come-from-behind racing style...
was a few years earlier. He was wild from the beginning, injuring his back in a youthful fit of enthusiasm. Often he ran holding his head high to ease the strain on his spine. He was gelded
Gelding
A gelding is a castrated horse or other equine such as a donkey or a mule. Castration, and the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male horse to be calmer and better-behaved, making the animal quieter, gentler and potentially more suitable as an everyday...
to calm him down, but it seemed to make little difference.
At two, Native Diver won his first three starts by a combined margin of 23 3/4 lengths and was on his way to setting six career track records. He set three of those records carrying 130 pounds. He was a versatile runner who could sprint at six furlong
Furlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and U.S. customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to 220 yards, 660 feet, 40 rods, or 10 chains. The exact value of the furlong varies slightly among English-speaking countries....
s or rate at nine, setting track records at both distances. He won stakes at six California racetracks, being the second horse ever to accomplish that feat.
But his greatest feat, which he is most remembered for, took place at Hollywood Park in Inglewood
Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census...
. Native Diver won the Hollywood Gold Cup
Hollywood Gold Cup
The Hollywood Gold Cup is an American Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred horses inaugurated in 1938 at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. It was run as a handicap race until 1997 when it was switched to weight-for-age conditions...
three times in a row, from 1965 to 1967, finishing faster each time. Jockey Jerry Lambert was on board for each Gold Cup win.
Native Diver was still racing at eight years of age; his owners vowed to retire him when he started to slow down. Eight days after he won the Del Mar Handicap
Del Mar Handicap
The Del Mar Handicap is an American thoroughbred horse race run each year during the third week of August at the Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California...
in 1967, equaling the track record, he fell ill with colic
Horse colic
Colic in horses is defined as abdominal pain, but it is a clinical sign rather than a diagnosis. The term colic can encompass all forms of gastrointestinal conditions which cause pain as well as other causes of abdominal pain not involving the gastrointestinal tract. The most common forms of colic...
. He was taken to the equine hospital at University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
at Davis
Davis, California
Davis is a city in Yolo County, California, United States. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, and died there the next day.
Native Diver won 34 stakes races, was the seventh racing millionaire, and was the first California-bred to earn a million dollars. He is buried in the Garden Paddock at Hollywood Park under a monument designed by Millard Sheets
Millard Sheets
Millard Owen Sheets was an American painter and a representative of the California School of Painting, later a teacher and educational director, and architect of more than 50 branch banks in Southern California.-Early life:...
.
External links
- Repeat winners of horse racesRepeat winners of horse races-Eight wins:-Seven wins:-Six wins:* The Race Around Yorkshire Handicap was renamed the "Gods Solution Handicap" in 1990.-Five wins:Cheekio Ora won the Herefordshire Light Horse Breeding Society's Hunter Chase five times in the 1980s....
- Native Diver's pedigree
- Nice article about the Diver and audios of his three Hollywood Cups