Dale Romans
Record at Keeneland
Career Firsts
Starters in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes
Year |
Horse |
Finish |
2021 |
Sittin On Go |
6th |
2020 |
Attachment Rate |
5th |
2019 |
Admire |
8th |
2019 |
Moonster |
9th |
2018 |
Free Drop Billy |
4th |
2018 |
Tiz Mischief |
7th |
2017 |
J Boys Echo |
4th |
2016 |
Brody's Cause |
Won |
2016 |
Cherry Wine |
3rd |
2014 |
Medal Count |
2nd |
2012 |
Dullahan |
Won |
2010 |
Paddy O’Prado |
2nd |
2010 |
First Dude |
3rd |
2008 |
Halo Najib |
7th |
2003 |
Acceptable Venture |
5th |
At Keeneland
Two-time leading trainer: 2001 Fall and 2002 Fall.
Won first Keeneland race during the 1988 Spring Meet.
First Keeneland stakes win was the 1993 Indian Summer with Little Shocker.
Two wins in Toyota Blue Grass: Brody's Cause (2016) and Dullahan (2012. Both colts won the Breeders' Futurity (G1) the previous year. Also won the Breeders' Futurity with Free Drop Billy (2017) and Dawn of War (2005).
Other Grade 1 wins: 2008 Shadwell Turf Mile with Thorn Song, 2012 First Lady with Tapitsfly and 2013 Shadwell Turf Mile with Silver Max.
Latest stakes win was 2020 Hagyard Fayette (G2) with Mr Freeze.
Father Jerry Romans won 13 races at Keeneland from 1969-1998.
Career
Received 2012 Eclipse Award as North America's outstanding trainer.
Triple Crown win: 2011 Preakness with Shackleford.
Breeders’ Cup wins (3): 2009 Juvenile Fillies Turf with Tapitsfly; 2011 Mile with Court Vision; 2012 Turf with Little Mike.
North American career earnings exceed $120 million with 2,176 wins through Nov. 28, 2023.
Recorded 2,000th victory Jan. 5, 2019, when he sent out Caroline Lois to win the fifth race at Gulfstream Park.
Click here for his Equibase career record.
Background
Dale worked for his father, trainer Jerry Romans, “from the time I could walk,” he said. “I did everything and was his assistant the last couple of years I worked for him.” Dale was 18 when he took out his trainer’s license.
The elder Romans, who trained on the Kentucky circuit for nearly 35 years, was the leading trainer at Ellis Park twice and at Turfway Park once. He died in November 2000.
Dale bought a 105-acre farm in Central Kentucky and offered his first consignment of four horses at Keeneland’s 2012 September Yearling Sale under Romans Racing and Sales.
His longtime partner is former jockey Tammy Fox, who is an exercise rider for the Romans stable. In 1991, she became the first female rider to compete in the Blue Grass, finishing fourth on Big Courage.