DEL MAR – As expected, Nevada Beach won the Native Diver Stakes on Saturday.

What wasn’t expected, however, was the battle the 3-year-old son of Omaha Beach found himself in with 16-1 long shot British Isles as the pair ran side-by-side down the stretch of the 1 1/8-mile Grade III test for older horses.

Jockey Diego Herrera had British Isles ahead by a half-length at the head of the stretch and gave ground grudgingly as Nevada Beach hit the wire a half-length in front in his first outing since running a distant seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Classic over the same dirt surface four weeks ago.

It was the fourth win in six career starts for Nevada Beach, who went off as the 1-9 favorite and paid $2.20 to win in the four-horse field. Nevada Beach was reunited with jockey Juan Hernandez Saturd

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