Dennis' Moment likely to make return in Fountain of Youth

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The start of a new year is a time to look forward, not back – and doesn’t Dale Romans know it.

Romans, back at Gulfstream Park for another winter away from his Kentucky home, is over the bitter disappointment of the Breeders’ Cup and harbors every intention of being front and center at the May 2 Kentucky Derby.

“Everything we’re doing down here is with the Derby in mind,” he said.

Dennis’ Moment is the newly turned 3-year-old with whom Romans hopes to return to the Derby. A disastrous start cost the colt all chance as the odds-on favorite in the Nov. 1 BC Juvenile at Santa Anita, after which Romans further steeled his resolve.

“It breaks your heart the horse didn’t get to show what he’s about,” said Romans. “But that’s life. That’s horse racing. Either you mope around about it, or you pick yourself up and move on. And we’re moving on.”

Toward that end, Dennis’ Moment returned to Romans’ care about two weeks ago. Owned by the Albaugh Family Stables of Iowa billionaire Dennis Albaugh, the bay Tiznow colt has resumed a routine of morning gallops at Gulfstream after a stop in Kentucky.

“He went to WinStar Farm shortly after the Breeders’ Cup, and we had him checked out head to toe just to make sure everything is fine, and it is,” said Romans. “He just chilled out there until he came down here a little before Christmas. He looks great and he’s training like he always has, like the good horse that he is.”

Romans said he intends to run Dennis’ Moment twice before the Derby, starting with the Feb. 29 Fountain of Youth. A second prep will be determined afterward.

“I haven’t mapped out when he’ll start breezing again,” said Romans, a 53-year-old Louisville, Ky., native whose best finishes from 10 Derby starters are thirds from Paddy O’Prado (2010) and Dullahan (2012). “I imagine we’ll get five or so breezes into him leading up to the Fountain of Youth. I’ll let him tell me when it’s time to start up with those.”

Dennis’ Moment was the 9-10 favorite in the Juvenile on the basis of a 19-length maiden romp with 97 Beyer Speed Figure at Ellis Park in late July, followed by a 90-Beyer win in the Grade 3 Iroquois at Churchill Downs.

The colt could have clinched a divisional Eclipse Award at the Breeders’ Cup, but it was all Irad Ortiz Jr. could do to stay aboard when his gate flung open. Instead, questions abound as to who can claim superiority with less than four months to the 146th Run for the Roses.

“It’s going to be an interesting road to the Derby, just like it always is,” said Romans. “I’m really excited about what’s ahead.”

Meanwhile, a couple of Derby hopefuls who also spent most of 2019 in Kentucky and were entered in the Breeders’ Cup, Maxfield and Scabbard, are at various stages of readiness.

Maxfield, scratched from the Juvenile after winning the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland by 5 1/2 lengths, has been jogging at Godolphin’s private training facility in Ocala, Fla., and is expected to return to trainer Brendan Walsh at the Palm Meadows training center before month’s end.

Scabbard, fourth in the Juvenile after finishing second to Dennis’ Moment in the Iroquois in September, has resumed a regular breeze schedule at Palm Meadows and is being pointed to the Jan. 18 Lecomte at Fair Grounds, said trainer Eddie Kenneally.