Dale Romans won the 2012 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer.
15 Facts About Dale Romans
1.
2.
Dale Romans is the son of trainer Jerry Romans and grew up around horses at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
3.
Dale Romans graduated from Butler High School in 1984 despite having dyslexia.
4.
At age eighteen, Romans embarked on a career as a trainer, getting his first winner on February 15,1987, at Turfway Park with Miss Mindy, who he had purchased for $1,500.
5.
Dale Romans won only four races in each of 1987 and 1989, and only 21 races in each of 1988 and 1990.
6.
Dale Romans has been in a long-term relationship with Tammy Fox since the early 1990s.
7.
Dale Romans was the first woman jockey to ride in the Blue Grass Stakes, finishing fourth in 1991.
8.
Dale Romans retired from racing in 2005 after a career that included 236 wins.
9.
Jerry Dale Romans once trained from Barn 4 at Churchill Downs, which is one of two barns used by his son.
10.
Dale Romans achieved his first grade I victory with Roses in May in the 2004 Whitney Handicap, and followed up with victories by Kitten's Joy in the 2004 Secretariat Stakes and the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Handicap.
11.
In 2006, Dale Romans earned his 1,000th career victory on June 11 with Haiaccept at Churchill Downs.
12.
Dale Romans collected his first Breeders' Cup win in 2009 when Tapitsfly won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
13.
In 2010, the Dale Romans-trained Paddy O'Prado finished third in the Kentucky Derby, while First Dude finished second in the Preakness Stakes and third in the Belmont.
14.
That year, Dale Romans trained Dullahan to victories in the Blue Grass Stakes and The Pacific Classic, plus a third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, Shackleford won the Metropolitan Handicap and Clark Handicap, while Tapitsfly earned Grade I victories in the Just A Game and First Lady Stakes.
15.
Dale Romans is the trainer of Keen Ice, notable for his August 2015 win over Triple Crown-winner American Pharoah in the Travers Stakes.