Here is Devil Diver's past performances.
Note that Devil Diver broke his maiden as a 2-year-old at Saratoga in a MSW race with a field of 19 horses.
Yes, imagine the horror, 19 early season 2-year-old maidens sprinting around a turn!
Why, the poor bettors, and it's lucky jockeys weren't routinely paralyzed in such dangerous events.
Devil Diver won 22 of 47 lifetime races. He's the only horse in history to win the Met Mile 3 years in a row. He won the Met at ages 4, 5, and 6.
Note the worktab on Devil Diver leading into the Kentucky Derby. He worked 9 furlongs on April 26th. He worked 10 furlongs on April 28th. And he worked 5 furlongs on May 1st. The Kentucky Derby was the following day (May 2nd) and he also ran in the Preakness on May 9th. Tough horse.
He was much better at ages 4, 5, and 6.