It looks like Kentucky Derby contender Dialed In will get just the Florida Derby prep trainer Nick Zito was hoping for.

The son of Mineshaft, who won the Holy Bull last time out, is entered in Sunday’s fourth race at Gulfstream, an optional claimer for 3-year-olds and up at nine furlongs.

Zito had wanted to get a nine-furlong start into Dialed In, who is 2-for-2 lifetime, prior to the Florida Derby on April 3. But the timing of various traditional preps on the Florida circuit – such as last week’s Fountain of Youth and the upcoming Tampa Bay Derby – didn’t work out. Dialed In was nominated to next weekend’s Timely Writer Stakes at Gulfstream – where Eclipse champion Uncle Mo is expected to make his season debut – but at a mile, the race was too short for Zito’s taste.

This prep is interesting in that Dialed In will compete against some fairly solid older horses. Stakes winner William’s Kitten, who is multiple graded placed, is working his way back from a long layoff. Valerius and Equestrio are lightly-raced 4-year-olds; Valerius is coming off a handy allowance win, while Equestrio took a similar event at Gulfstream two starts back. Fellow 3-year-old Reprized Halo was a stakes winner last year, but is coming off a last-place effort in the Sam F. Davis last time out.