Pharoah’s Wine winning a Sept. 2, 2023, maiden race at Kentucky Downs under Martin Chuan. (Coady Media)
By Tim Wilkin
FRANKLIN, Ky. – Trainer Dale Romans has certainly kept it in the family when it comes to the 3-year-old filly Pharoah’s Wine, his entry in Saturday’s Grade 2, $2 million AGS Music City Stakes at Kentucky Downs at 6 ½ furlongs.
“She is a nice filly,” Romans said by phone Tuesday as he and life partner Tammy Fox were driving home to Kentucky after a summer in Saratoga. “The interesting part is that I train her, I trained her mother, her grandmother, her grand dam and three siblings.”
Indeed.
Sweeping Paddy, Pharoah’s Wine’s dam, was once in the Romans barn as was grandmother C.S. Royce, third dam Sweeping Story (who was third in the 1999 Kentucky Oaks) and Cherry Wine (second in 2016 Preakness), a full sibling, and Pico Entry and C.S. Incharge, half siblings.
Romans also trained Paddy O’Prado (third in the 2010 Kentucky Derby), the sire of Sweeping Paddy. Pharoah’s Wine’s sire is 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.
Pharoah’s Wine had success at Kentucky Downs last year when she broke her maiden in a one-mile allowance race. She went winless in her next five starts before breaking through with an allowance score at Ellis Park on July 27. That came after a second in an allowance at Churchill Downs on June 21.
“She looks like she is back on her game,” said Romans, who gave her a three-month break after a seventh-place finish in the Sanibel Island Stakes at Gulfstream Park on March 30. “She just needed a little freshener. I always thought she was good. She has been a little spotty, but when she’s on, she’s on.”
Pharoah’s Wine, who is 20-1 on the Music City morning line, is also special to Romans for another reason. The late Frank Jones, who was vice chair of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and long-time owner vice president of the Kentucky HBPA, considered Romans to be a son to him. He owned part of Pharoah’s Wine and Romans said she was one of the last horses he saw run before he passed.
Jones’ wife, Nancy, is part owner of the horse along with William Pacella and Frank Shoop. All three, along with Frank Jones, bred Pharoah’s Wine.
“I knew Frank my entire life,” Romans said. “It would be special to win this one.”
Romans is cutting Pharoah’s Wine back in distance. His other option was to run her 1 5/16-mile.
“It will be interesting backing her up; I think there is a chance she’ll like it,” Romans said. “The short route is probably the best.”
Martin Chuan, who has ridden Pharoah’s Wine in seven of her nine career starts – including the win here last year – will be on board.
Romans also has Coppola entered in Saturday’s Grade 2, $2 million Ainsworth Turf Sprint at six furlongs. Expect to see the 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Into Mischief on or near the lead with jockey Corey Lanerie.
In his last start, he was prominent throughout but settled for third as the 6-5 favorite in the Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Sprint Stakes at Ellis Park on Aug. 4.
Coppola is 15-1 on the morning line and will have to contend with 11 others including the imposing Cogburn, winner of five of six on the grass. His only loss came in his only try at six furlongs, last year’s Turf Sprint when he was fifth.
“When Cogburn is good, he is really good,” Romans said. “If he stubs his toe, the rest of them we fare well with.”
Coppola, owned by Hammer Time Stable and Sport of Kings Racing, has won four of 16 career starts on grass. Three starts ago, in the Grade 1 Jaipur at Saratoga, he finished fourth in a three-horse photo for second.
Romans, the trainer vice president of the Kentucky HBPA, has an affinity for Kentucky Downs. He can’t wait to get back here.
“I like the country atmosphere, everyone is having fun and it’s really an upbeat place,” Romans said. “And you have to like their (purse) money.”
