Out of the four Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) runners from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, Mubtaahij is the first to get back to action.
While Arrogate is retired, and Collected and West Coast are getting some rest, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum's grade 1 winner is heading back to Del Mar for the $100,000 Native Diver Stakes (G3) Nov. 25.
The 5-year-old son of Dubawi brought up the rear of the Baffert contingent in the Classic (eighth overall), but he figures to be the commanding favorite in the 1 1/8-mile Native Diver, where he's scheduled to face six challengers.
The Sept. 30 Awesome Again Stakes (G1) victor is one of two graded winners in the field and the second, Irish Surf , last won in the 2014 Cougar II Handicap (G3), when Del Mar's main track was synthetic. Off for two full seasons, Irish Surf has made two starts in 2017—sixth-place finishes in an optional-claiming allowance and the Tokyo City Cup Stakes (G3) last time out April 2.
BALAN: Mubtaahij Breaks Through in Awesome Again
Baffert will also bring a second entry to the Native Diver in Donegal Racing's Irish Freedom, who finished third in the Comma to the Top Stakes last time out Oct. 28.
The Comma to the Top Winner, Top of the Game, is also entered in the Native Diver. Holly and David Wilson's 4-year-old Desert Party gelding is seeking his fourth straight victory, but his first graded score.
Del Mar, Saturday, November 25, 2017, Race 5Entries: Native Diver S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Mubtaahij (IRE) Drayden Van Dyke 125 Bob Baffert 2/1 2 2Top of the Game (KY) Kent J. Desormeaux 121 Vladimir Cerin 5/2 3 3Curlin Rules (KY) Flavien Prat 121 John W. Sadler 10/1 4 4Prime Attraction (KY) Victor Espinoza 121 James M. Cassidy 5/1 5 5Irish Freedom (KY) Rafael Bejarano 118 Bob Baffert 3/1 6 6Wild About Deb (KY) Tiago Josue Pereira 121 Philip D'Amato 15/1 7 7Irish Surf (KY) Gary L. Stevens 121 Dan L. Hendricks 15/1
