Dakota Phone tops field of seven in Native Diver

Dakota Phone struck a pose just days before his BC Dirt Mile surprise (Harold Roth/Horsephotos.com)

After registering a 37-1 upset in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), DAKOTA
PHONE (Zavata) will likely be favored when he lines up for Saturday’s $100,000
Native Diver H. (G3) at Hollywood Park. Trained by co-owner Jerry
Hollendorfer, the hard-knocking gelding has been assigned the top weight of 123
pounds with Joel Rosario and will be making his 12th start of the
year in the 1 1/8-mile event.

Dakota Phone shows only six wins in his 32-race career, but the millionaire
often finishes second (seven times) or third (nine) and was able to snap a
16-race losing skid four starts back in the San Diego H. (G2). The five-year-old
has earned $967,720 so far from a 11-2-2-5 line in 2010, and he offered a
sensational late rally to capture the Dirt Mile at Churchill Downs, closing
rapidly from last in the 12-horse field at the midway mark.

SOUL CANDY (Birdonthewire), a 1 1/4-length winner of the October 30
California Cup Classic, comes next on the weight scale at 117 pounds. One of two
from the Paddy Gallagher barn, the California-bred gelding raced exclusively
on turf prior to his last start, and the late runner will keep Rafael Bejarano
for his third career stakes attempt. The Gallagher-trained AGGIE
ENGINEER (E Dubai), who will race uncoupled with his stablemate, received a
116-pound impost. The front runner exits a sharp 2 1/4-length score over
allowance/optional-claiming rivals on the Cushion Track, and Joe Talamo will
guide the stakes-placed gelding.

PHILATELIST (Rahy) will attempt to give Humberto Ascanio a second straight win in
the Native Diver. Ascanio, who won last year with Mast Track, would be the first
trainer to repeat since Richard Mandella won three straight in 1996-98. Group
3-placed in Europe, Philatelist finished a neck third when making his U.S. debut
in the San Antonio H. (G2) in February, but he will be making his first start
since a fourth as the 8-5 favorite in the March 27 Tokyo City Cup H. (G3). Garrett
Gomez will pick up the mount on the six-year-old horse, who only received a
114-pound impost.