Hot apprentice Roman, promising juvenile Fracas team up

ARCADIA, Calif. – A teenaged apprentice jockey and an unraced 2-year-old filly are making noise at Santa Anita. It will get louder on Friday.

Evin Roman, a 19-year-old from Puerto Rico who rode his first race at Santa Anita in February, suddenly is the meet’s hottest jockey. Roman won 25 races over the past six weeks, more than any other rider, and leaped to fourth in the standings. Roman has mounts Friday in all 10 races.

Fracas, a 2-year-old filly believed to be quick, makes her career debut Friday in a strong maiden special weight. Fracas worked fast at an April sale, was purchased for $190,000, and since arriving at Santa Anita has worked fast for trainer Simon Callaghan.

Although Fracas may be favored in race 6, she faces a deep cast. First-time starters Mischievous Song and the also-eligible She’s No Drama have trained particularly well, according to National Turf workout analyst Andy Harrington. Medaglia Gold, Acharnement, and the also-eligible Mondaymorningblues should improve second time out.

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As for Fracas, her work pattern is similar to the pattern Callaghan employed with the 2-year-old colt Run Away, an impressive debut winner last month. He had a series of short, sharp works capped by a fast gate work one week prior to his debut. Fracas, by first-crop sire Violence, has posted three bullet works, including a 46.80-second half-mile gate work last week.

In addition to her works, Fracas will debut with a hot jockey. Roman has taken the colony by storm. After a rough start in California – Roman was suspended for careless riding three times in February and March – he has gotten his act together.

From May 11 through Sunday, Roman rode and won more races (25 for 114) than any other Santa Anita rider. He enters the final two weeks of the season with an outside shot to be the meet’s leading rider. Flavien Prat has 34 wins but will miss six days with suspensions. Rafael Bejarano has 31 wins, and Joe Talamo has 30.

Roman is fourth with 28 wins at the meet. The total is likely to increase Friday. Roman, who rides with a seven-pound allowance and can claim an apprentice allowance until March, rides a host of live mounts.

Tiz Adore, Blanket of Ice, and Y’s Passion are leading contenders for Roman in races 1-3; Calvert Street is a longshot candidate in race 4; and the also-eligible Gypsy Treasure could go favored if she draws into race 5.

Fracas, the debut filly Roman has worked in the morning, could go favored in race 6; Honor Maker had a sharp work last week and is a contender in race 7; the second-time starter Artistic Ab has a look in race 8; Haveiture Way could set the pace in race 9; and Hot Paris Night will be one of the favorites in race 10.