Nimitz Class Wins Fourth Straight Stakes in Native Dancer

It was a Coolmore-sired exacta at Laurel Park Saturday when Nimitz Class (4c Munnings x Five Diamonds, by Flatter) won his fourth straight start in the Native Dancer Stakes.

A homebred runner for Tom Coulter, Nimitz Class was second early on in the 1 1/8-mile dirt race as he dueled with another horse. That fight lasted down the backstretch before he started to put the other runner away with just over half a mile left to run.

Nimitz Class had multiple lengths on the field going into the stretch but Jevian Toledo kept him to task late as American Pharoah’s American d’Oro came flying late. While American d’Oro was nearly eight lengths ahead of everyone else, he was still 2 ¾ lengths adrift the winner as they flashed across the line.

Trained by Bruce Kravets, Nimitz Class has won nine of his 15 starts for $414,480 in earnings. Included in his victories are five wins in his last six starts with five stakes wins and one other stakes placing overall during his career.

Nimitz Class is a full brother to multiple stakes winner Kaylasaurus with the duo out of the stakes winning Five Diamonds. Their pedigree also includes champions Requebra and In Essence and multiple Group II inners Tap and Tap Is Back.

Munnings sits fourth by number of stakes winners on the General Sires list with his 11 stakes performers fifth best in the group.