Trainer Bios

Dale Romans

Born: Aug. 14, 1966, in Louisville, Kentucky

Record at Keeneland

Total Wins: 151

Stakes Wins: 18

Career Firsts

First Grade 1 Win: 2004 Whitney at Saratoga with Roses in May

First Stakes Win: 1991 Florence at Turfway Park with Morning Punch

First Graded Stakes Win: 1996 Fall Highweight (G2) at Aqueduct with Victor Avenue

First Career Win: Feb. 15, 1987, at Turfway Park with Miss Mindy

Starters in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes

Year	Horse	Finish
2021	Sittin On Go	6th
2020	Attachment Rate	5th
2019	Admire	8th
2019	Moonster	9th
2018	Free Drop Billy	4th
2018	Tiz Mischief	7th
2017	J Boys Echo	4th
2016	Brody's Cause	Won
2016	Cherry Wine	3rd
2014	Medal Count	2nd
2012	Dullahan	Won
2010	Paddy O’Prado	2nd
2010	First Dude	3rd
2008	Halo Najib	7th
2003	Acceptable Venture	5th

At Keeneland

Two-time leading trainer: 2001 Fall and 2002 Fall.

Won first Keeneland race during the 1988 Spring Meet.

First Keeneland stakes win was the 1993 Indian Summer with Little Shocker.

Two wins in Toyota Blue Grass: Brody's Cause (2016) and Dullahan (2012. Both colts won the Breeders' Futurity (G1) the previous year. Also won the Breeders' Futurity with Free Drop Billy (2017) and Dawn of War (2005).

Other Grade 1 wins: 2008 Shadwell Turf Mile with Thorn Song, 2012 First Lady with Tapitsfly and 2013 Shadwell Turf Mile with Silver Max.

Latest stakes win was the 2020 Hagyard Fayette (G2) with Mr Freeze.

Father Jerry Romans won 13 races at Keeneland from 1969-1998.

Career

Received 2012 Eclipse Award as North America's outstanding trainer.

Triple Crown win: 2011 Preakness with Shackleford.

Breeders’ Cup wins (3): 2009 Juvenile Fillies Turf with Tapitsfly; 2011 Mile with Court Vision; 2012 Turf with Little Mike.

North American career earnings exceed $120 million with 2,188 wins through May 12, 2024.

Recorded 2,000th victory Jan. 5, 2019, when he sent out Caroline Lois to win the fifth race at Gulfstream Park.

Click here for his Equibase career record.

Background

Dale worked for his father, trainer Jerry Romans, “from the time I could walk,” he said. “I did everything and was his assistant the last couple of years I worked for him.” Dale was 18 when he took out his trainer’s license.

The elder Romans, who trained on the Kentucky circuit for nearly 35 years, was the leading trainer at Ellis Park twice and at Turfway Park once. He died in November 2000.

Dale bought a 105-acre farm in Central Kentucky and offered his first consignment of four horses at Keeneland’s 2012 September Yearling Sale under Romans Racing and Sales.

His longtime partner is former jockey Tammy Fox, who is an exercise rider for the Romans stable. In 1991, she became the first female rider to compete in the Blue Grass, finishing fourth on Big Courage.