Historic Native Diver Handicap at Hollywood Park

Hollywood Turf Club President Mervyn LeRoy presents 1966 Hollywood Gold Cup to Mr. and Mrs. L.K. Shapiro, owners of Native Diver.

The historic Native Diver Handicap at Hollywood Park honors the California-bred Thoroughbred racehorse owned and bred by Mr. and Mrs. Louis K. Shapiro and trained by Buster Millerick.

Native Diver (1959-1967) was the first California-bred winner of $1 million and the first three-time winner of the Hollywood Gold Cup -- a record that stood until 2007, when it was matched by Lava Man.

Known as the “Black Beauty” of California racing, Native Diver was the seventh racing millionaire, earning a total of $1,026,500 in 81 career starts with 37 wins, 7 seconds and 12 thirds. He was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1978.

Native Diver and jockey Jerry Lambert winning the 1965 Hollywood Gold Cup.

In the same way Zenyatta has captured the minds and hearts of today's race fans, bringing excitement and new hope to California racing, Native Diver in his day must have evoked similar emotions from his fans. One of them was racing journalist, Martin Kivel, who nearly waxed poetic in his description of the great horse:

"When Native Diver won the San Diego Handicap at Del Mar recently it was more than just a horse race. It was a performance by California’s most popular thoroughbred that seemed, in a way, to have human qualities woven into its fabric.

We sort of had the feeling that Native Diver was saying “thanks” to the people who cheered him as he came on the racetrack and had put their money where their hearts were by betting him down to a prohibitive 1-5 favorite.

It was as if the “Black Beauty” understood how they felt, these fans of his who set up a clamor of “bring on Kelso,” as he returned to the winner’s circle after a wire-to-wire victory that found him equaling the track record under a 131 pound package."1

In a later article, Kivel said,

"There’s something about Native Diver that seems to put electricity in the air every time he walks out on a race track. It’s hard to explain. Maybe it’s the way he holds his head, sort of high and mighty like. Or, perhaps it’s because he typifies the meaning of the word thoroughbred – always running the best he knows how."2

Native Diver winning the 1966 Gold Cup.

The flashy gelding, said by trainer Millerick to enjoy Jello and lettuce, was accustomed to receiving standing ovations from the throngs when he entered the winner’s circle. He is best known for his incredible Hollywood Gold Cup three-peat, eloquently described by Press-Telegram writer Dave Lewis following the Diver’s third Gold Cup:

"The Gold Cup was responsible for another colorful chapter in racing history Saturday when the “Black Beauty” of California racing, Native Diver, won the rich event for the third consecutive year to become the seventh horse ever to win a million dollars.

Native Diver, first California-bred to reach that plateau, collected $102,100 for the win to push his earnings to $1,002,850 and join such other greats as Kelso, $1,977,896; Round Table, $1,749,869; Buckpasser, $1,419,114; Nashua, $1,288,565; Carry Back, $1,241,165; and Citation, $1,085,760.

Whereas the other members of the millionaire’s club earned their money in big chunks, the Diver scratched it out the hard way, amassing his wealth in 80 trips to the post, winning 36 races with seven seconds and a dozen thirds. Thirty-two of his victories have been in added-money events, far and away a California record.

Ironically, the high-spirited son of Imbros has won only three $100,000 races, and all of them have been the Gold Cup. Eight wins were in races worth $50,000, the other 25 in races worth $25,000 or less."3

Native Diver winning the 1967 Gold Cup (O'Hara in front, minus his jockey).

Native Diver is buried in the paddock at Hollywood Park under a monument designed by California artist Millard Sheets.

1 Independent (Pasadena), Aug. 18, 1965, p. 25.
2 Pasadena Star News, Jan. 26, 1966, p. C-2.
3 Press-Telegram (Long Beach), July 17, 1967, p. C-1.

Photos courtesy of Hollywood Park.

Hollywood Park the Final Resting Place for Three Great Racehorses

In its 70-year history, Hollywood Park has seen many of horseracing's greats come and go. Three of them remained to call Hollywood Park their final resting place: Native Diver, Landaluce, and Great Communicator. Native Diver is buried beneath a monument in his honor in the saddling paddock. Landaluce and Great Communicator are buried in the Infield.

Landaluce's grave marker in the Infield at Hollywood Park.

Landaluce, a 1982 filly by Seattle Slew, raced only at two, and was unbeaten in 5 starts. She was trained by D. Wayne Lukas and ridden by Laffit Pincay, Jr. Landaluce won the Grade 2 Hollywood Lassie Stakes by an incredible 21 lengths, in a final time of 1:08 for the 6 furlongs. It was the greatest margin of victory ever by a two-year-old at Hollywood Park. Her other victories included the Del Mar Debutante Stakes, the Grade 2 Anoakia Stakes at Santa Anita, and the Grade 1 Oak Leaf Stakes at Santa Anita.

Sadly, she became ill with Colitis X and died December 11, 1982. Landaluce was named Champion Two-Year-Old Filly for 1982, the award given posthumously. The Hollywood Lassie Stakes was renamed the Landaluce Stakes in her honor.

Great Communicator's grave marker lies only a few feet from that of Landaluce.

Great Communicator, a 1983 bay gelding by Key to the Kingdom, was the winner of the 1988 Breeders Cup Turf - and the first gelding to score in any Breeders Cup race. Trained by Thad Ackel, Great Communicator had consecutive 1988 and 1989 victories in the Hollywood Turf Cup, the San Juan Capistrano, and the San Luis Obispo Handicap. His other victories included the Golden Gate Handicap, the San Marcos, and the Henry P. Russell Handicap. Great Communicator suffered a breakdown in the 1990 Carleton F. Burke Handicap at Santa Anita and had to be euthanized.

The Great Native Diver

Native Diver is buried under this monument in the paddock at Hollywood Park.

The Native Diver Handicap at Hollywood Park is named in honor of the California-bred Thoroughbred racehorse owned and bred by Mr. and Mrs. Louis K. Shapiro and trained by Buster Millerick. Native Diver (1959-1967) was the first California-bred winner of $1 million and the first three-time winner of the Hollywood Gold Cup -- a record that stood until 2007, when it was matched by Lava Man.

Native Diver, a son of the great Imbros, is said to have been as wild, unpredictable and charismatic as any horse seen on Californian tracks. Nicknamed "the Diver," he was a racetrack idol who provided many thrilling races for the fans in his day. One of those fans was the Shapiro's young grandson, Richard, who today serves as the Chairman of the California Horse Racing Board. Shapiro recalled not only the excitement of watching Native Diver's races from his grandparents' box seats, but also how he used to tell everyone around him, "Vote for Native Diver!"

Native Diver set six career track records, three of those records carrying a hefty 130 pounds. He won a total of 34 stakes races at six different California racetracks and was the 7th racing millionaire.

Native Diver died at the age of 8 of intestinal colic. He is buried at Hollywood Park under a monument in the paddock.