Romans pleased with Prayer for Relief

ARCADIA, Calif. – Dale Romans has shocked the world. Not himself, mind you. But he has shocked the world. He did it in 2011 in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, where he scored a 64-1 upset with Court Vision when Goldikova was going for an unprecedented fourth straight win in the race.

Prayer for Relief won’t be that high a price in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 1 here at Santa Anita, and Romans is not going so far as to say he’s going to win, but the trainer was confident that Prayer for Relief would acquit himself admirably after a five-furlong workout here Saturday.

Prayer for Relief, with Tammy Fox aboard, was given an official time of 47.40 seconds for a half-mile, though Daily Racing Form had him going five furlongs in 59.55 seconds.

“He works like he’s gliding over this track,” Romans said. “When we won the Mile, I was predicting he’d win there. Everybody thought I was crazy. I’m not predicting this horse will win. But he belongs. Other horses in here probably have better form, but he’s doing better than at any time since I’ve had him.”

Prayer for Relief is winless in eight starts this year, including six with Romans. The last time he raced was Aug. 30, when he was third in the Woodward Stakes at Saratoga. He was scheduled to run in the Jockey Club Gold Cup on Sept. 27 but got loose in the Belmont Park paddock before the race and was scratched.

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Romans is the third trainer Prayer for Relief has had in his 33-race career. Bob Baffert had him for his first 16 starts, which included victories in 2012 in the West Virginia and Iowa derbies. Steve Asmussen had him for his next 11 starts, including a victory last year in the Cornhusker Handicap.

Prayer for Relief was one of four Classic horses who worked at three different tracks Saturday. Also at Santa Anita, another longshot, Candy Boy, worked seven furlongs. DRF had him in 1:25.35. Track clockers had him in 1:25 flat.

At Los Alamitos, Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome was timed in 59.60 seconds for five furlongs.

And at Belmont Park, Belmont Stakes and Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Tonalist was timed by DRF going five furlongs in 1:01.75

–additional reporting by David Grening and Mike Welsch