Romans runners rule work tab

Trainer Dale Romans dominated Monday’s work tab at Gulfstream, sending out 21 horses to breeze, many of whom figure to be prominent in 3-year-old stakes later this winter.

Birdatthewire turned in arguably the most impressive work of all the Romans runners over a very fast track Monday, responding to late pressure to finish strong, going five-eighths from the four-furlong pole in 1:01.28. He then galloped out with abundant energy, six furlongs in 1:13.73 and seven-eighths in 1:26.63, before pulling up a mile in 1:40.78. Birdatthewire rallied from 20 lengths off the pace to win his maiden in his 2-year-old finale at Churchill Downs, an effort flattered when the runner-up, Lassofthemohicans, came back to register a decisive maiden win of his own here last month.

The speedy Taylor S, a 6 1/4-length allowance winner when closing out her 2-year-old campaign, also looked sharp Monday, going five furlongs from the half-mile marker in 59.89 seconds with jockey Corey Lanerie aboard. Grade 2 winner Cristina’s Journey breezed an easy five-eighths from the half-mile pole in 1:02.56.