Rapid Dial is living up to his name and proving himself a sound investment.
The 3-year-old colt from the first crop of 2011 Florida Derby winner Dialed In became a two-time meet and lifetime winner Sunday at Oaklawn Park in his first start since nominated to the Triple Crown.
Rapid Dial won by a neck over Crawford, another last-out winner over the track, after a fast-rated six furlongs in 1:10.71. Paying $4.20 to win as the even-money favorite in an $82,000 entry-level allowance/optional claimer, Rapid Dial pressed the pace down the backstretch and dug in after being headed by Crawford at the three-sixteenths pole.
Ramon Vazquez rode Rapid Dial for trainer Ingrid Mason, who races the Florida-bred colt in partnership with Pat Greco and Michael Cloonan. Rapid Dial sold for $75,000 in June 2016 at an Ocala, Fla., auction of 2-year-olds and horses of racing age. He missed a scheduled early-season start at Oaklawn because of a minor stomach ailment before debuting successfully by 2 3/4 lengths March 11.
Sunday's victory boosted the colt's earnings to $92,400, covering both his purchase price and $6,000 necessary to nominate him to the Triple Crown. Mason said before Sunday's race that if all goes well, Rapid Dial will be considered for a closing-day stake at Oaklawn: the $150,000 Northern Spur at 1 1/16 miles or the Grade 1 $1 million Arkansas Derby at nine furlongs.
"He's really bred to go longer," Mason said last week. "But I'm kind of wanting to bring him up slowly, plus the purse is so good that the best way to capitalize on a horse like that is to run him through the condition."
Mason bought Jan. 26 Oaklawn maiden winner Seven Forty Seven at the same sale.
• The Arkansas Racing Commission, meeting Saturday, approved Oaklawn's request for 57 race days in 2018.
Under a schedule presented by Oaklawn attorney Walter "Skip" Ebel III, the 2018 meeting starts Friday, Jan. 12 and end Saturday, April 14. Most races are Thursday-Sunday each week with Monday cards on Jan. 15 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day) and Feb. 19 (Presidents Day) and Wednesday cards April 4 and 11.
• Three Oaklawn maiden winners and a half-brother to a past winner of the race are among the seven entered in Friday's $100,000 Rainbow for Arkansas-bred 3-year-olds going six furlongs.
Checkmate Charlie won his Jan. 16 debut for trainer Ingrid Mason and Five O One his Feb. 3 bow for trainer Brad Cox. J.E.'s Handmedown prevailed in his second start Feb. 20 for owner-trainer-breeder David Whited.
Also in the field are maidens Quietly Cuba, Jack Be Quick, Bay's Commander and All to Stormy, the latter a half-brother to 2015 Rainbow winner Weast Hill.
Five O One, owned by Staton Flurry of Hot Springs, sold for $72,000 in April 2016 at Ocala, Fla. The chestnut gelding is sired by Breeders' Cup Classic and Belmont Stakes winner Drosselmeyer.
Sports on 03/27/2017