Romans aims high with Mr Freeze; Dennis' Moment to work
Trainer Dale Romans, a Kentucky native who makes his winter home in Florida, has a trio of stakes horses in his care as plans form for the spring.
Among the major targets for the Eclipse Award-winning conditioner are the upcoming Pegasus World Cup and 2020 Kentucky Derby. Romans recently updated us on his Big 3…
“Man, he’s an exciting horse,” Romans said of this 5-year-old by To Honor and Serve, who’s invited to the main body of the field for the $3 million Pegasus. “He was a really good 3-year-old. We won two Grade 3s, the West Virginia Derby and the Ack Ack at Churchill. And then a second in the Grade 2 Fayette at Keeneland, and we ran third in the Grade 1 Clark at Churchill.”
Following “a little rest” after the Clark, Mr Freeze is back to work, most recently breezing 5/8 on Saturday in 1:00.38 at Gulfstream Park.
“Hopefully he will be fit and ready to roll on January 25,” Romans said, “ and we’re looking forward to having a nice year with him, including the Whitney at Saratoga.”
“The Breeders Cup was about the lowest of the lows,” Romans said, with this recently turned 3-year-old stumbling out of the Santa Anita Park gate as the Juvenile’s favorite, only to never much get involved in the race.
“Remember back in the day, before cable TV and ABC Sports opened their Saturday sports coverage with; ‘The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat?’ Well, the Breeders Cup was my agony of defeat,” Romans added. “It was just bad, bad luck.
“The good thing is he came out of it in good shape. The plans are to work him next Saturday and get him ready for the Fountain of Youth on February 29. Then run again in the Florida Derby so long as everything is going well, which will take us up to the Kentucky Derby.
“But yes, we are keeping him here at Gulfstream until then and see how the year plays out. We’re excited for this colt.”
This graded stakes winner bypassed the Breeders’ Cup Sprint upon posting finishes of sixth in Saratoga’s Forego (G1) and Keeneland’s Phoenix (G2).
“After the Phoenix at Keeneland, where he didn’t run very good, we sent him over to Dr. Larry Bramlage where he found he had some fragments in his ankle,” Romans said. “So we had surgery performed, cleaned him up and everything came out good. We expect to have him back in training in February and hopefully get him ready to run in the Churchill Downs Stakes race on Derby day.”
“Currently he is resting up at Win Star Farm, who purchased half of him back in August at Saratoga. I just saw a video of him running around the farm the other day and he looked good.
“You know, I bought him as a yearling and he’s never really had a break since. He just kept showing up and running well. So it was about time to give him a little freshener, cleaned up the ankle, and we hope to finish with a strong year. Then we’ll let him go on to become a good stallion.”