On Saturday at Del Mar, the fall stakes schedule reaches its climax with the last of the dirt stakes races. This Grade 3 event, a 1 1/8 mile contest for 3-year-olds and up, features the summer's Grade 1 Pacific Classic winner, Mixto. The 4-year-old colt by Good Magic pulled off a remarkable 22-1 upset in the Pacific Classic, but came back to run 11th in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Antonio Fresu, Doug O'Neill's go-to rider at Del Mar, is back on Mixto after Kyle Frey rode him in the previous big races.

Highlighting the Contenders

Skinner's Return

Skinner is back in stakes company after an 11-month absence due to a knee issue. Trainer John Shirreffs saw promise in his recent allowance sprint at Del Mar, where he showed a strong closing kick. Since his runner-up finish during the Breeders' Cup weekend, Skinner has been working sensationally, as noted by Shirreffs. Despite an impressive resume including runner-up finishes in the Los Alamitos Derby and last year's Native Diver, along with a close third in the 2023 Santa Anita Derby, Skinner is still 1-for-11 lifetime, with his lone victory coming in February 2023.

Tarantino's Winning Streak

Tarantino enters the Native Diver with a two-race win streak. Since joining the Peter Eurton barn in August, he hasn't lost. Eurton attributes his success to the horse's good health and believes that not getting a lot of dirt in his face helps. Tarantino won on the front end in both recent victories and Eurton has no plans to change tactics. He will be facing tough competition, including Ultra Power, who comes back as the morning line favorite after a third-place finish in a recent race.

Mirahmadi's Maiden Victory

Mirahmadi broke his maiden in his ninth try last out. He has only finished out of the money once and was runner-up to Prince of Monaco in last year's Del Mar Futurity (G1). In his return to routing, he won by 10 lengths. The grey or roan colt by Curlin, out of the popular mare Unique Bella, had been off for 10 months prior to returning this summer.

Ultra Power's Challenge

Ultra Power comes into the Native Diver as the morning line favorite. He won his 2024 debut in August at Del Mar by seven lengths and had been off for 10 months prior to that. Tarantino beat him in a blanket finish last out at Santa Anita.The 47th running of the Native Diver, named after the Hall of Famer who raced in the 1960s, is the eighth race on the Saturday card with a probable post time of 7 p.m. EDT. These talented runners are set to put on a thrilling show on the track.