Romans on a roll - Dynaville next

ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Dale Romans has already won two big stakes this month, the $300,000 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs with Kitten's Joy and the $300,000 Cornhusker at Prairie Meadows with Roses in May. A week from Saturday, Romans will shoot for another major win in the Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont Park with Dynaville.

On Thursday, Dynaville worked seven furlongs in 1:30.46 over Belmont's main track to prepare for the 1 1/4-mile CCA Oaks. After two days of off-and-on rain, the track was listed as muddy for the morning workouts.

Dynaville's two career wins have come in turf races around two turns. She is stakes-placed in two dirt races, including a runner-up finish to Stellar Jayne in the Grade 3 Dogwood Breeders' Cup Handicap at Churchill Downs on June 5. In Stellar Jayne's next start, she won the Grade 1 Mother Goose at Belmont on June 26. Dynaville returned to win a first-level allowance race on the grass at Churchill on June 19.

"I think the beauty of Dynaville is that she runs well on dirt and turf," said Liz Gray, Romans's New York-based assistant. "It's worth taking a shot [in the CCA Oaks] because it doesn't look like it will be a huge field. I didn't see the race in Kentucky when she ran against Stellar Jayne, but I know she ran well."

Jose Santos has the call on Dynaville, who is owned by Wafare Farm.

On Thursday, the racing office listed only Dynaville, Stellar Jayne, Ashado, and Magical Illusion as probable starters.

Eddington: Haskell or Jim Dandy next

Mark Hennig, Eddington's trainer, said the 3-year-old will run next in either in the $1 million Haskell at Monmouth Park or the $500,000 Jim Dandy at Saratoga the same day.

Hennig said Peter Willmott, Eddington's owner, would like to run at Saratoga, but a lot depends on who runs where.

"We'll see what is going to happen with other horses and where they are going," Hennig said. "If the $1 million race is easier than the $500,000, I would have an inclination to go for a million."

Eddington, who has worked twice since finishing fourth in the Belmont Stakes on June 5, is scheduled to work again this weekend. Hennig said Eddington was in light training immediately after the Belmont.

"We didn't do a lot with him at first; no works, just jogging," Hennig said. "More than anything, we didn't rush him into the next spot. We gave him some time to catch up a bit.

"It seems like he is maturing and is just a lot more focused," Hennig said. "In his gallops, he would lose interest in the last part after pulling you along in the beginning. Now he wants to do a little more in the end."

Torrestrella joins Clement barn

Torrestrella, the winner of the Group 1 French 1000 Guineas in May, recently arrived in trainer Christophe Clement's barn.

Peter Karches and Michael Rankowitz privately purchased Torrestrella, a 3-year-old, before she ran 11th in the French Oaks on June 13. Trained by Francois Rohaut in France, Torrestrella has won three of four starts this year.

Clement said that if Torrestrella isn't ready to run in the Grade 3 Lake George on Aug. 2 at Saratoga, then the Grade 2 Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 21 or the Grade 2 Lake Placid at Saratoga on Aug. 23 are possibilities for her American debut.

"She's a very exciting filly," Clement said. "You don't get Grade 1 horses in the barn every day."

Repeat performance in Lexington

The same connections behind Sharp Performance, the 2001 Lexington winner, will run Second Performance in Sunday's $100,000-added Lexington for 3-year-olds on the grass.

Second Performance, who is not related to Sharp Performance, has won his last two starts on the turf at Belmont.

On June 27, Second Performance won the Mac Diarmida Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths over Good Reward. In his prior start, Second Performance, a half-brother to multiple stakes winner Buff, won a maiden race by two lengths.

David Donk, who trains Second Performance for William Bloom, John Behrendt, and Charles Marquis, said the addition of blinkers three starts back has helped the colt.

"I think they made a pretty big difference," Donk said. "He was really fidgety [before the blinkers]. Even in the morning, you can tell the difference in him with them on."

Others expected to run in the Grade 3 Lexington at 1 1/4 miles on the turf are Big Booster, Commendation, Icy Atlantic, Inducement, Mustanfar, Prep School, Tomorrows Champ, and Victory Circle.

* On Friday, United Nations winner Request for Parole worked a half-mile in 48.12 seconds over Belmont's training track, which was listed as good. Request for Parole is scheduled to make his next start in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga on Aug. 14.