Page 50 - Canada Spring 2019

The Winter of Johnny Dial
SPRING
Charles E. Hepler and his brother, Elmer, of Pinon, New Mexico, were old hands at hauling mares to the King Ranch down in Texas. In 1947, they went south
as usual. They were hauling “our Black Annie.” By Rodney by Old D.J., and out of Betsy, and Old D.J. granddaughter, Black Annie was beautiful, but she walked like a plow horse. That didn’t matter. In her day, the Louisiana mare had stepped in to run thirty times and
by Lyn Jank
Derby and Preakness winner. Depth Charge’s half brother, Assault by Bold Venture, was a Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year in 1946. Depth Charge’s dam, Quickly, had also produced Count Fleet, another Triple Crown winner. Depth Charge himself
was a sprinter and had made a fine showing on the track. Now Robert J. Kleberg of the King Ranch had entrusted the brown horse to the man who had sold him his first Thoroughbreds, Mr. John Dial.
ground, except Black Annie’s. This was probably the only time in her life when she came in behind the others. July 1, Annie produced her Depth Charge son, a brown foal with a short hind sock. He was named after the man whose legend in the horse business was based on integrity and keen sight, John Dial.
The legend of Johnny Dial, the horse, began February, 1950, in Carlsbad, New Mexico. Elmer Hepler relates, “He was barely nineteen months old, undersized
LOOKING BACK - AN EXCERPT FROM JANUARY 1978 ISSUE
had never lost.
On the way south, Charlie and
got to thinking about this brown horse in Goliad, Texas. He was
a Thoroughbred called Depth Charge, King Ranch-bred. His sire was Bold Venture, a Kentucky
Charlie and Elmer thought about Depth Charge for a while longer. Then, instead of continuing to the King Ranch, they took Black Annie to the farm of John Dial in Goliad, Texas.
In late spring of 1948, most of the foals were already on the
and looked like nothing but a little hairball. But, my brother wanted
to try him out and entered him in the Carlsbad Futurity. I felt so bad when I saw Johnny Dial in the gate. Besides looking like a hairball, he looked like he planned on laying
50 SPEEDHORSE CANADA, Spring 2019
1952 World Champion Johnny Dial at age 22. circa 1970 by Walt Wiggins, Quarter Racing World