Horse Racing: Dialed In is in Contention for Florida Derby

With Flashpoint uncertain to start at Gulfstream Park, attention is turning to Dialed In ahead of this weekend’s Florida Derby.

Flashpoint keeping coy
Flashpoint could be the most interesting story of the weekend, yet the horse might not even go to post at the Florida Derby. Flashpoint is currently the odds-on favorite for the Grade 2 Swale at Gulfstream Park but it could yet make the step up to the $1 million Florida Derby later in the afternoon. The doubt over which race it will run in stems from Flashpoint’s need to increase its earnings in order to make the field for the Kentucky Derby. Realistically a win in the Swale wouldn’t have a notable impact on Flashpoint’s chances of making the Run for the Roses but stepping up to the Florida Derby presents a tougher challenge. Trainer Rick Dutrow insists the final answer on what race Flashpoint will run in rests in the hands of owner John Fort. This presents an interesting dynamic as Fort claims he doesn’t see the Florida Derby as merely prep for Kentucky but as a title worth winning in its own right.

This decision could have a huge impact on both fields. If Flashpoint pulls out of the Swale, then entries for that race will likely increase substantially. The speed of Flashpoint, which is undefeated in two starts, would make for a substantial change of pace to how the Florida Derby is run.

Six certainties
With the field still up in the air, there are just six confirmed starters for the Florida Derby: Soldat, Dialed In, To Honor and Serve, Arch Traveler, Stay Thirsty, and Bowman’s Causeway. Dialed In looks the best of the contenders but nothing can be taken for granted in a quality field. Nick Zito, Dialed In’s trainer, had winners in this race in 2005 and 2010. Zito says this is the deepest field he’s seen for the Florida Derby in several years. Dialed In has one big advantage over most of the rest of the field, having already won at Gulfstream Park this season, rallying from last place to take victory on January 30. The race features another recent winner at Gulfstream Park in the form of Soldat. The February 26 win for Soldat was a much more routine affair, taking the win after leading from the start. The final field for the Florida Derby should be confirmed later today.