Grade 1 Florida Derby winner and likely Grade 1 Kentucky Derby favorite Dialed
In worked an easy half-mile Thursday morning at Palm Meadows in :48
2/5.
With trainer Nick Zito looking on, Dialed In worked over a nearly deserted
track before fewer than 12 spectators. After breaking off a half-length behind
stablemate Miner’s Escape, Dialed In rallied to finish three lengths
in front.
Dialed In recorded splits of :12, :24 2/5 and :36 4/5 before galloping out
five furlongs in 1:01 2/5, according to Daily Racing Form clocker Mike
Welsch.
“This is what I wanted — those 12s,” Zito said of the 12-second splits.
“This horse is very rippled. This horse is very ready. I can guarantee this
horse is not going to be short. I can’t guarantee anything else, but I’ll tell
you he won’t be short.
“We know the kind of horse he is. Any horse that gives you the last eighth in
11 and change…I don’t know what else he can give you? The horse is happy here.
He likes the track.”
Dialed In, who won his only start as a two-year-old November 12 at Churchill
Downs, won the January 30 Grade 3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream to begin his
three-year-old season. After finishing second March 6 to older stablemate
Equestrio in an allowance event, Dialed In rallied April 3
from last to win the $1 million Florida Derby by a head over Shackleford.
Zito said that he will ship Dialed In to Kentucky Saturday, and the colt
could be on the Churchill Downs track Sunday morning. Because of his victories
in the Holy Bull and Florida Derby, Dialed In is still eligible for the
Preakness 5.5 bonus, an historic bonus program that will award owner Robert
LaPenta $5 million and Zito $500,000 if Dialed In wins the May 21 Grade 1 Preakness
at Pimlico.
Dialed In is one of several likely Kentucky Derby starters who were stabled
this winter at Gulfstream’s state-of-the-art Palm Meadows training facility.
Others who wintered at Palm Meadows include Grade 2 Fountain of Youth winner Soldat,
Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner and two-year-old champion Uncle
Mo, Grade 3 Gotham winner Stay Thirsty, Grade 2 Louisiana Derby winner Pants on Fire,
Grade 1 Blue Grass winner Brilliant Speed and Grade 3 Spiral winner Animal
Kingdom.
Four of the last five Kentucky Derby winners, and five of the last eight,
have wintered at Palm Meadows.