Evin Roman back in saddle for Del Mar opener
Evin Roman, the leading rider at the marathon Golden Gate Fields winter-spring meeting earlier this year, resumes riding for the first time since July 10 at Del Mar on Friday.
Roman missed the opening week of the Cal-Expo meeting in Sacramento last weekend to visit family in Puerto Rico, according to his agent, Leo Rodriguez.
At Del Mar, Roman is booked to ride As Amatter of Fact in Friday’s $100,000 Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile on turf for trainer Jonathan Wong. As Amatter of Fact has won 3 of 5 starts in Northern California and will have his stakes debut in the Oceanside.
Roman is booked to ride at Sacramento on Saturday, and will return to Del Mar to partner Opening Buzz in the $175,000 Fleet Treat Stakes for 3-year-old state-bred fillies at seven furlongs on July 28.
Later this summer, Roman will ride at the Sonoma County Fair meeting in Santa Rosa from Aug. 4-14, with occasional trips to Del Mar through the end of that track’s summer season on Sept. 11.
“We’ll try to go to Del Mar a few times,” Rodriguez said.
Roman, 24, was honored with the Eclipse Award as the outstanding apprentice of 2017. At Golden Gate Fields earlier this year, Roman led all riders with 87 wins, four more than Pedro Terrero. Roman rode 14 winners at the Alameda County Fair meeting at Pleasanton earlier this summer, finishing second to Assael Espinoza who had 16 wins.
Roman has won 66 races in his career at Del Mar, including 29 in the summer of 2017 when he finished tied for second in the overall standings.