Romans scores double with juveniles

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Wesley Ward, Steve Asmussen, and John Hancock have dominated the 2-year-old ranks this spring in Kentucky. But Dale Romans raised his hand Thursday evening at Churchill to effectively say: “Count me in, too.”

In a one-hour span, Romans won two 5 1/2-furlong races with Free Drop Billy, a colt by Union Rags, and Dak Attack, a colt by Ghostzapper. Both are owned by the Albaugh Family Stable and were ridden by Robby Albarado.

“We’ve got a lot of hope for both of them,” Romans said. “I’m sure at least one of them will go with me to Saratoga.”

For Albarado, the wins were his first since he returned June 8 from a lower-leg fracture that caused him to miss nearly seven weeks. Into Friday, the veteran jockey has ridden 5,048 winners.

Finley’sluckycharm to Chicago

Finley’sluckycharm was scheduled to breeze here this weekend in preparing for the Grade 3, $100,000 Chicago Handicap, which highlights next weekend with its 28th running on June 24.

Finley’sluckycharm and her Bret Calhoun-trained stablemate Mayla are among the fillies and mares primed for the seven-furlong Chicago, which was moved here this year from its longtime home, Arlington Park, where financial difficulties persist.

Last out, Finley’sluckycharm won the Grade 3 Winning Colors by 5 1/2 lengths as the 1-5 favorite, running her career record to 7 for 9. Mayla was second.

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Saratoga next for Whitmore

Whitmore came out of his third-place finish in the True North at Belmont Park “in great shape,” according to trainer Ron Moquett, and will be regrouped at Churchill prior to making his next start at Saratoga in the Grade 1, $350,000 A.G. Vanderbilt, a six-furlong race on July 29.

Whitmore had a five-race win streak snapped as the even-money favorite in the June 9 True North. Moquett has said he won’t stretch out the late-running gelding while keeping the six-furlong Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 4 at Del Mar as his year-end goal.

No rest for the hardboots

With the way the 2017 calendar fell, racing will be conducted for seven straight days on the Kentucky circuit as June becomes July.

When dates were agreed on last year, Churchill received an extra Wednesday (normally a dark day) during its final week when declining to race into July. So, Churchill will end its meet by running three days, June 28-30, and with the extended Independence Day weekend, Ellis Park will open its summer meet with four days, July 1-4.