Romans loaded with rising youngsters

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Dale Romans has returned to south Florida for the winter, his barn stacked and loaded, particularly with soon-to-turn 3-year-old prospects led by Grade 1 winner Free Drop Billy and Hollywood Star.

Romans said he plans to get down to some serious work for the first time here on Saturday morning when he’ll breeze a large contingent of his horses stabled at Gulfstream Park, including 2-year-olds Tiz Mischief, Promises Fulfilled, and Dak Attack. Hollywood Star and Free Drop Billy have just returned to training after being given a bit of a break following their sixth- and ninth-place finishes, respectively, in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

“All our top 2-year-olds are here at Gulfstream Park and we’ll put a few of them on the rail tomorrow,” Romans said while watching Free Drop Billy jog near the end of training hours on Friday.

:: Save on PPs, digital subscriptions, and more!

Romans said what was a “great year” for his 2-year-olds in 2016 came close to being so much better were it not for a series of narrow setbacks in major stakes around the country in the summer and fall.

“I’ve got a great group of young horses and we really had a fun year,” said Romans. “But think how close we came to it being an unbelievable one.”

Romans won the Breeders’ Futurity with Free Drop Billy and the Ellis Park Juvenile with Dak Attack. But, he also finished second in five major 2-year-old stakes: the Sanford and Hopeful with Free Drop Billy; the Iroquis and Saratoga Special with Hollywood Star; and the Kentucky Jockey Club with Tiz Mischief.”

Romans said he has not mapped out serious plans for any of his young horses just yet, though said he is considering the one-mile Mucho Macho Man on Jan. 6 for Dak Attack.

“Primarily, I’m going to wait for the longer races and place them all where it fits them best,” said Romans. “I plan to treat all my 3-year-olds on an individual basis this winter with the goal of getting to the bigger picture, and if at some point that means running a couple of them against each other, we’ll just deal with that situation when the time comes.”

Romans is also looking forward to starting a couple of his older horses here this winter, including J Boys Echo and the up-and-coming Singing Bullet.

J Boys Echo is coming off a second-place finish behind the undefeated C Z Rocket in a one-mile allowance race at Churchill Downs on Nov. 23, his first start since the Belmont Stakes. Singing Bullet, who is owned by Stronach Stables, earned a career-best 95 Beyer Speed Figure winning a second-level optional claimer at Churchill Downs in his 3-year-old finale.

“J Boy is doing super and ready to go, although where I just don’t know yet,” said Romans. “Singing Bullet had to take some time off to start his 3-year-old campaign, but he just ran a mile in 1:34 and change and I think he’s going to be a big horse in 2017.”