Midcourt notches first graded win in Native Diver

DEL MAR, Calif. – Midcourt won a maiden race in June, a first-level allowance in August, and a minor stakes race last month, and on Saturday at Del Mar continued his hot streak, scoring his fourth straight victory and his first against graded company with a front-running score in the Grade 3, $98,000 Native Diver for older horses.

Midcourt ($7.60) benefitted from a heads-up ride from Victor Espinoza, who seized on the reticence of his rivals and put Midcourt on the lead a furlong into the 1 1/8-mile race, even though his usual style is to sit and finish.

Breaking from the rail in an abbreviated field of four, Espinoza looked to his right once, then twice, then sent Midcourt up for the lead.

“I let him break, do what he wanted to do,” Espinoza said. “I wasn’t afraid to let him run.”

He never gave the lead back. Midcourt cruised along a length in front of Extra Hope through fractions of 23.55 seconds for the first quarter, 47.61 seconds for a half-mile, and 1:11.54 for six furlongs, then kicked clear through the lane and powered home 5 3/4 lengths best. He covered 1 1/8 miles on the fast main track in 1:48.36.

“He was doing it easy, on his own,” Espinoza said.

Extra Hope, who chased throughout, held second, 1 1/4 lengths in front of Two Thirty Five. Roadster, the 4-5 favorite, never made an impact and finished last, nearly 10 lengths behind Midcourt.

“He was dull,” said Roadster’s trainer, Bob Baffert.

Leading Score and Zestful were scratched from the original field of six, leaving four runners.

Midcourt, 4, was gelded in November 2018 and returned in February of this year following a layoff of nearly 16 months and a switch in trainers to John Shirreffs. He finished second against maidens at Santa Anita in his first start for Shirreffs, then went on his current win streak.

“He has a lot of ability and he’s now able to make use of that ability,” Shirreffs said. “He’s gaining confidence.”

Midcourt, by Midnight Lute, was a $450,000 yearling purchase by the C R K Stable of Lee and Susan Searing. He raced twice at age 2 for Pete Eurton before going to the sidelines as a colt and returning as a gelding. He has now won four times in seven starts.