Dale Romans

Points towards the 2024 GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks will be up for grabs with a pair of graded races for juveniles Saturday at Churchill Downs. Eight colts face off in the 1 1/16-mile GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. and an equal number of fillies head postward in the GII Golden Rod S. a race earlier on the card. Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm's Risk It (Gun Runner), who already owns five Derby points thanks to his runner-up effort in the Sept. 16 GIII Iroquois S., is...

GSW Dennis' Moment (Tiznow) will stand the 2024 breeding season at Golden Creek Equine in Cheyenne, Wyoming, part-owner CJ Thoroughbreds said in a release Wednesday. The 6-year-old is co-owned by Eugene Joyce and will stand for a fee of $1,500. A limited number of lifetime breeding rights are also available. Although Wyoming has a long history of horse racing and is the final resting place of the sport's first Triple Crown winner, Sir Barton, the state's live racing scene nearly disappeared until HHR was legalized a decade ago. Since then,...

Frank L. Jones, Jr., a prominent owner, breeder, and servant to the horse industry through decades of work on the boards of several Thoroughbred organizations, passed away Thursday, Aug. 10 after a long illness. The Louisville businessman was 87. In addition to other roles, Jones spent more than 30 years as the owners' vice president of the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA), where he was instrumental in negotiating contracts for owners and trainers with racetracks. He was also chair of the Kentucky HBPA's finance committee and a legislative...

Undefeated in three career starts, but facing a steep trifecta of challenges to scale--trying dirt, graded company, and the tough New York circuit for the first time--New York Thunder (c, 3, Nyquist--Start Over, by Midshipman) set sizzling fractions on the front end of Saratoga's GII Amsterdam S. Friday and held sway to win by 7 1/2 lengths while eased up late despite spending most of the stretch on his wrong lead. His 1:07.77 six-furlong split was faster than the 1:07.92 track record set in 2019 by Imperial Hint (Imperialism) in...

In the wake of 12 horses suffering fatal injuries since Apr. 27 and after a Thursday meeting with horsemen, Churchill Downs announced new safety initiatives that will go into effect immediately. They are: A pause of track-based incentives such as trainer start bonuses and purse pay-out allocations to every race finisher through last place. Purse pay-outs will now be limited to the top five finishers. Churchill Downs officials will engage in ongoing discussions with horsemen to determine ways to reallocate these funds to best serve industry needs. With record-high purses,...

Leslie and Pierre Amestoy and Roger Beasley's Practical Move (Practical Joke) will be scratched from GI Kentucky Derby 149 due to an elevated temperature, according to trainer Tim Yakteen. With the scratch of Practical Move, Albaugh Family Stables' Cyclone Mischief (Into Mischief), who is trained by Dale Romans, will draw into the field and break from the outside post 20, but his program number will remain the same as No. 21, Churchill Downs said in a release on Thursday afternoon. "You have to be in it to win it," Romans...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - TDN Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of leading GI Kentucky Derby contenders to get their 'Early Impressions.' Albaugh Family Stables purchased a total of nine yearlings either alone or in partnership out of the 2021 Keeneland September Sale for a total of $3.37 million. Two of them have made the 20-horse field for the Kentucky Derby and a third will need a scratch to draw into the body of the field. Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) punched his ticket to Louisville following...

Frank Fletcher Racing Operation's Rocket Can (Into Mischief) turned in his penultimate workout ahead of the May 6 GI Kentucky Derby with a five-furlong drill in 1:01.00 (11/41) at Churchill Downs Sunday. The gray colt, who broke off six lengths behind stablemate Game Warden (Tapit), completed early fractions of :12.20 and :36.60 with regular exercise rider Guelser Cardona in the saddle. He finished even with his stablemate at the wire and galloped out several lengths in front through six furlongs in 1:14.20. "It was a nice, steady work," trainer Bill...

6th-Keeneland, $99,588, Msw, 10-19, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:46.95, ft, 5 1/4 lengths. CYCLONE MISCHIEF (c, 2, Into Mischief--Areyoucominghere, by Bernardini) nearly wired the field at first asking, just getting nailed by a pair of closing ivals on the line to be third by three-quarters of a length at Churchill Downs Sept. 16. With an extra sixteenth to work with Wednesday, the $450,000 Keeneland September grad raced closest to pacesetter Permafrost (Frosted) into the first turn. Settled just a path off the rail for the backstretch run, Cyclone Mischief stuck a...

Multiple graded stakes winner Mr Freeze (To Honor and Serve--Heavenly Cat, by Tabasco Cat) has been retired to stud at Raimonde Farms Ltd. in Wooster, Ohio. Owned by Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister and trained by Dale Romans, the 7-year-old chestnut retired with a 6-4-2 record in 19 starts, earning $1,595,600 over his career. "He was a gifted horse with a great mind," said Romans. "He ran with the best and we couldn't be happier about this opportunity." Mr. Freeze was a graded stakes winner at ages three, four and...

A promising group looking to punch their tickets to this season's Triple Crown in Saturday's 1 1/16-mile GIII Sam F. Davis S., awarding 'Road to the Kentucky Derby' points to the first four finishers (10-14-2-1). Looking to return to the winner's circle is Kentucky West Racing and Clarke M. Cooper's Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway), trained by Brian Lynch. An impressive 6 1/2-length winner ahead of next-out scorer Trafalgar (Lord Nelson) in his career debut going seven furlongs at Saratoga Sept. 4, the chestnut came home third in Keeneland's GI Claiborne...

Ellis Park will host "a conversation" between Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas and Eclipse Award-winning trainer Dale Romans Saturday, Aug. 14. Called "D. Wayne and Dale: A Conversation," the event will see the two charismatic personalities interview each other, tell stories, and take questions from the public. Third generation Henderson horseman John Hancock will introduce the pair. "We wanted something special for the public as a prelude to Ellis Park Derby Day," said Jeff Inman, Ellis Park's general manager. "Wayne is on the short list for the all-time...