Barn Tour: Romans updates on Derby trail contender + 6 more
Count Dale Romans as a fan of Turfway Park, which has seen higher purses and large fields in recent meets.
Turfway’s turnaround has been "big for Kentucky,” Romans told Horse Racing Nation. “The problem we had in Kentucky, we had two circuits. We had Ellis Park and Turfway, and then we had Churchill and Keeneland. And we couldn't really have a consistent flow. Good horses for Churchill and Keeneland were too good for Ellis and Turfway, and the horses for Ellis and Turfway weren't good enough for Keeneland and Churchill. So what we've done is made a complete circuit.”
During the Turfway meet that ended Saturday, Romans had four wins from 14 starters.
He provided updates on the top talent in his stable for the latest in HRN’s Barn Tour series.
Stretch Ride. The 3-year-old Street Sense colt won his debut and scored in an optional-claiming allowance at Keeneland in October before finishing third in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, picking up three qualifying points for Kentucky Derby 2024. “Stretch is the most accomplished 2-year-old (now 3-year-old) we have right now, and right now we've just got him at Gulfstream training light and we'll point him toward the Fountain of Youth.” The Grade 2 race on March 2 offers 50 Derby points to the winner.
Giant Game. The 5-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway gave Romans his first graded-stakes win since 2020 when he scored in the Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G3) in July. He had a 2023 record of 9: 2-3-0, most recently finishing eighth in the Clark (G2). “His last race was a little disappointing, but I think he's better than that and he had a few excuses. But we've been waiting for an opportunity to try him on the grass. So I'm going to probably run him in a three-other-than down at Gulfstream on the turf. He has a lot of grass pedigree even though he's been accomplished on the dirt. That's why we haven't moved him. He's done well, but I think it's time to try to move him up a little.”
Cyclone Mischief. The 4-year-old son of Into Mischief got a break after finishing last in the Kentucky Derby and came back with a fourth-place finish in an optional-claiming allowance race at Churchill Downs on Nov. 26. “Cyclone, he needed time off after the Derby. Came back that one race. I think he's the type of horse that I think we need to run him. So hopefully he got a lot out of that race, and he'll start out in an allowance race at Gulfstream.”
Deer District. The 4-year-old son of Oscar Performance had a 2023 record of 4: 1-1-2 but hasn’t had a start since finishing second in the Amsterdam (G2) on July 28. “He got hit in the eye in the Amsterdam and took a long time to get over it. He almost lost his eye, but he came back good. He's training at Gulfstream, and I think he's going to have a huge year next year.”
Pharoah’s Wine. The 3-year-old American Pharoah colt out of Sweeping Paddy broke his maiden at Kentucky Downs in September on his third try, then was second in the Jessamine (G2) at Keeneland and third in a Churchill Downs allowance on Nov. 26. “That's a good filly. She ran well at Keeneland in the stake, and I trained the first four dams in that family. She's just at Gulfstream training right now and will probably go into some of the stakes down there.”
Time Muse. The 3-year-old Not This Time colt broke his maiden at Turfway in his third try on Dec. 1. He also led at every call and won by a nose. “He acts like he's a good horse. Not This Time's my favorite, of course, but and he's the sire of both of them. But we'll keep him at Turfway too and see where it takes us. If he gets good wins in allowance races, we'll look for something around the country for him.” Not This Time won the 2016 Iroquois for Romans and was second by a neck in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
J Bird Time. Another son of Not This Time, this 3-year-old colt rallied to break his maiden by a neck on Dec. 15 at Turfway. It was his third start after two tries at Churchill Downs. “He's a pretty good horse,” Romans said. “He hopefully can run in stakes company up there this winter.”
Mobster Gun. The 6-year-old gelded son of Liaison also was a Turfway winner, leading at every call in a Dec. 7 claiming race. “He's an improving horse, and I think that we'll try him in an a-other-than at Turfway.”
Coppola. The 5-year-old son of Into Mischief was coming off an allowance win at Churchill Downs before finishing fourth Sunday in the listed Janus Stakes at Gulfstream. “He had a great year. He's been a good addition to the stable,” Romans said. He has not decided where Coppola will start next.