Saratoga: Striker Has Dial makes stakes debut in Friday’s Wilton

Striker Has Dial will make her stakes debut in Friday’s $135,000 Wilton, a one-mile main track test from Saratoga’s Wilson chute for sophomore fillies who have not won a sweepstake other than state-bred.

Trained by Horacio De Paz, the Dialed In dark bay finished second to the Chad Brown-conditioned and Grade 1-placed Ways and Means in a one-mile allowance June 6 during the Belmont Stakes racing festival at Saratoga.

There, Striker Has Dial, a 28-1 long shot, led the eight-horse field of 3-year-olds and up through an opening quarter-mile in 23.69 seconds and splits of 46.82 and 1:11.16 over the fast main track before being passed in the turn to finish 8 1/4 lengths back of a much-the-best Ways and Means.

In defeat, the previous Laurel Park maiden-winner Striker Has Dial registered a career- and field-best 89 Beyer Speed Figure, and it was another 6 1/2 lengths back to third-place finisher Miz Sense.

“It was a very honest effort. Coming from Maryland, breaking her maiden, that was a huge step up,” said De Paz. “I think this is a good spot. Everyone is kind of in the same position, no one has won a stakes in the race.”

The lightly raced Striker Has Dial won her debut by six lengths when setting the pace over muddy and sealed footing sprinting seven furlongs in May at Laurel Park.

“In her first race, she ran them off their feet. In New York, she placed herself in the same (forward) position in a pretty competitive field,” said De Paz. “Ways and Means was way superior, a nice filly there, but with the other fillies finishing behind her, she held her own considering she was coming off of one start versus fillies that have run multiple times as well.”

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown captured last year’s running of the Wilton with Randomized, who exited to win the Grade 1 Alabama, and this year he will send out a promising candidate in Bells Beach.

Last-out winner Bells Beach will rise to stakes company after graduating at second asking when traveling one mile versus elders June 1 at Churchill Downs.

The Curlin bay tracked from fifth position in the 11-horse field before making a bold bid near the quarter-pole and surging home a 5 1/2-length winner in a final time of 1:35.58. The score earned a career-best 81 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form.