Dial Me has ownership group dreaming big

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – They’re already talking about the Kentucky Oaks, and why wouldn’t they? It’s part of the dream.

Members of the Churchill Downs Racing Club are “over the moon,” said club manager Gary Palmisano Jr., after their 2-year-old filly, Dial Me, rallied to win a maiden race Saturday at Ellis Park in western Kentucky. Because the Ellis winner’s circle isn’t big enough, the win photo of Dial Me and about 80 people was taken on the racetrack itself.

Dial Me and a 2-year-old colt, Warrior’s Club, are owned by the racing club, with 200 members owning each horse. Members paid $500 apiece to join when the club was formed in the spring. Both horses are trained by D. Wayne Lukas.

Kent Taylor, a sportscaster for the NBC affiliate in Louisville, WAVE-TV, is among the owners of Dial Me. Taylor ended a brief story on Dial Me this week by twice proclaiming, “Kentucky Oaks!”

Improvement will be required, but there’s plenty of time before the Oaks is run next May. Dial Me earned a 62 Beyer Speed Figure in winning the six-furlong race in her second start. The filly, from the first crop of Dialed In, could race next in a first-level allowance at Ellis in late August, with the Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill in mid-September being a logical goal, said Palmisano.

“It’s been a whole lot of fun,” said Palmisano. “So many people are so excited. Winning this race was a really good thing for the whole club experience. Our Facebook page has gone absolutely crazy with comments, videos, pictures, posts. People are saying their dreams are coming true, that this is something they’ve been wanting to do since childhood.”

Warrior’s Club is on target for an Aug. 12 maiden race at Ellis. The colt was fifth and third in his first two starts.

◗ Corey Lanerie enters this week of racing at Ellis still needing four victories to hit the 4,000-win milestone. Lanerie is named to ride seven races Friday and five Saturday. Lanerie went just 1 for 18 last weekend at Ellis, but all was not lost. He swept both the ostrich and camel races staged Saturday, much to the delight of the crowd.

◗ Jockey Didiel Osorio and his agent, Joe Santos, will be among the guests Saturday morning when Ellis offers fans an inside look during a new promotion entitled “Making of a Racehorse: Let’s Get Started!” The event is sponsored by Ellis and the Kentucky division of the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association. Further information is available through their websites.

◗ The Friday feature at Ellis is a $39,000 turf sprint that drew an oversubscribed field of fillies and mares competing under a first-level allowance restriction. First post for an eight-race card is the usual 12:50 p.m. Central.