Mandella Can Add to Feat

No trainer has won the $100,000 Native Diver Handicap, which will be run for the 25th time today at Hollywood Park, more than Richard Mandella.

The Hall of Famer has won the Grade II a record six times. This afternoon, he sends out Olmodavor against seven opponents in the 1 1/8-mile race.

Olmodavor, a 4-year-old son of A.P. Indy out of stakes-winning mare Corrazona who Mandella also trained, will be racing without blinkers for the first time.

He was a distant runner-up to Medaglia d’Oro in the Strub on Feb. 1 at Santa Anita, then chased Mineshaft in the New Orleans Handicap a month later at the Fair Grounds.

Olmodavor, with jockey Alex Solis, is the 2-1 morning-line choice. From the inside out, the rest of the Native Diver field: Legendary Weave, Gift Of The Eagle, Chinkapin, Total Impact, Tenaja Trail, Buckland Manor and Nose The Trade.

Race of the day: It isn’t at Aqueduct, which canceled racing Friday and today because of heavy snow. Rather, it’s the $60,000 Oakland Handicap at Golden Gate Fields. The six-furlong race features a rematch between More Crafty and My Captain, the 1-2 finishers in the Albany Handicap on Nov. 8.

One for the road: Spanish Empire has won two in a row for trainer Steve Asmussen and gets a favorable pace scenario in today’s $60,000 Tenacious Handicap at the Fair Grounds. The 3-year-old looks to have the controlling speed under jockey Corey Lanerie in the 1 1/16-mile race.

Exotically speaking: A pick three of Trickinthepark in the first, Sure Caper, Uhohwhathappen and Taloberto in the second and The Castle, Snoqualmie Ridge and Tejati in the third.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 6/58. Money: Previous day/meet total: $27.80/$287.40. Total money bet: $308.