Romans discusses Birdatthewire, Go Maggie Go, and J Boys Echo
Multiple graded stakes-winning fillies Birdatthewire and Go Maggie Go, both nominated to Saturday’s $100,000 Rampart (G3) at Gulfstream Park, will skip the one-mile race for fillies and mares and be pointed for a later start during the Championship Meet, trainer Dale Romans said.
Forum Racing IV’s Birdatthewire is winless in nine starts this year after closing out her 3-year-old season with a victory in the La Brea (G1) at Santa Anita last December. She was second in both the La Canada (G2) and the Chilukki (G2), and third in the Princess Rooney (G2) July 2 at Gulfstream and the Molly Pitcher (G3).
“We freshened Bird up a little bit,” Romans said. “She has had a good, long campaign and she just needed some time. She’s a good filly. She’ll be back.”
After going unraced at 2, Mike Tarp’s Go Maggie Go has three wins from seven starts this year. She has lost three straight since taking the Black-Eyed Susan (G2) May 20 at Pimlico, and most recently finished off the board in the 1 1/8-mile Falls City Handicap (G2) Nov. 24 at Churchill Downs.
“Maggie, I’m just going to train on her down here and figure out where to go with her after the first of the year,” Romans said. “She didn’t run very well last time. I have to figure out what’s tweaking her and get her fixed up right.”
Go Maggie Go is unbeaten in two tries at Gulfstream, winning her debut March 13 and following up with a victory in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) April 2. Birdatthewire has two wins, a second and a third in four starts at Gulfstream, where she won the Forward Gal (G2) and Gulfstream Park Oaks and was second in the Davona Dale (G2) in 2015.
Birdatthewire has made one start on an all-weather surface, finishing eighth in the Presque Isle Downs Masters (G2) Sept. 19, but neither she nor Go Maggie Go has ever raced on turf.
Gulfstream’s dirt stakes for older females include the $100,000 Hurricane Bertie (G3) at seven furlongs Jan. 28, the $200,000 Royal Delta (G2) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 18, and the $200,000 Inside Information (G2) at seven furlongs March 18.
“They both run well here, so we’re not worried about that part,” Romans said. “Believe me, we’ll see them at the meet.”
Though Iroquois (G3) winner Not This Time was retired following his runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) with a soft tissue injury, Romans may have another up-and-coming Triple Crown prospect in Albaugh Family Stables’ J Boys Echo.
The juvenile bay son of 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft finished second in his debut Oct. 2 at Churchill Downs, came back to break his maiden by 5 ½ lengths as the favorite going 1 1/16 miles Oct. 27 at Keeneland, then rallied to run fourth in the $1 million Delta Jackpot (G3) Nov. 19.
“He had a horrendous trip and came flying at the end. It looked like, to me, he might have been second-best, but the winner ran a monster race,” Romans said. “He galloped out strong. He wants to go on forever. He’s a big, ol’ Mineshaft and Mineshaft went forever, so we figure he will, too. I don’t know what’s next. I watched him train today and got excited, so I have to start thinking about it. I think he ran a sneaky good race in the Jackpot. We’ll try to get him on the Derby trail.”
Source: Churchill Downs