Since most of the great foundation Quarter Horses came from short distance straightaway sprinters, I would like to talk about a not so heard of horse called Johnny Dial. He was a brown horse foaled on July 1, 1948 and he racked up the fastest time recorded by any stallion running during the first eleven years of organized Quarter Racing. A spectacular competitor, he was always the horse the rest had to beat. He had a heart that was bigger than all outdoors. Few jockeys could ride him. Disposition had nothing to do with this; he got away from the starting gates so quick and with such a bone jarring leap they simply could not stay with him. Part of this trouble, Ray Boyland thought, grew out of the fact that "in the gate he seemed half asleep."He was very calm not easily rattled". Many times he would just stand there and yawn, but as quick as the gates opened he'd be off like a bat out of Carlsbad. He always broke with such a terrific burst of speed; it was often said that he could not have moved faster had he been jet propelled!
During the years he was campaigned on the straight-aways 1950 thru 1953 Johnny Dial smashed the records of such outstanding sprinters as Black Easter Bunny, Tonto Bars Gill, the celebrated Barbara L, not to mention such hard knockers as Clabbertown G,Tonta Lad, Mona Leta, Billy Van Dorn and I could go on to an almost never ending list.
Johnny Dial was bred by Charles E Hepler, of Pinon, New Mexico. He was sired by the great Depth Charge out of the great mare Black Annie by Rodney, a son of Old D J. Black Annie reputed to have been one of the greatest match racing mares ever to come out of Louisiana.
Through 1961 Johnny Dial had only 29 starters; 17 were winners, 19 were Register of merit qualifiers, and 10 with a AAA speed index.
Ray Boland once said over a phone call: Johnny's racing carrer really got started at Carlsbad, his first actual race being the Carlsbad Futurity, in which he beat the great mare Hy Dale (a former World Record Holder at 440 yds.) by a head. He was only 19 months old at that time. It was also said that any of the Strauss boys will tell you about him. When Johnny set the World Stallion Record at Bay Meadows he drew the No. 3 gate. There was some discussion about the track being plowed so deep along the inside there. Felex Durroseau told Bill Grounds the jockey up to just pray that gate comes all the way open, grab you a hand full of hair and ride to the finish, which he did and Stetsons went to flying all over the track! It was also said that a jockey by the name of R D Hay once said that he never rode Johnny that he did not have the feeling that he was going to win. These are the type story's that keep my blood flowing when I talk about a good Quarter Horse! I just hope and pray that there are Quarter Horses in heaven!
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