Eric Wing: Welcome to today’s NTRA Communications National Media Teleconference. Big weekend coming up headlined by the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth on Sunday. Horse Racing Radio Network coverage of the Haskell will air from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Eastern time. Two hour coverage, again of the Haskell, the Matchmaker, and the Oceanport Stakes, 4:30 to 6:30 Eastern. That will air on the Horse Racing Radio Network affiliates and also nationwide on Sirius Channel 85 and XM Channel 85. So if you can’t see it, that’s a great place to listen to it. Also a pair of $600,000 stakes at Saratoga on Saturday, the grade one Diana, and the grade two Jim Dandy Stakes. A little later in the call we’ll talk to trainer Ian Wilkes, who has one of the horse’s to beat in the Jim Dandy, that being Neck ’n Neck. We’ll also shift our sights to Del Mar later in the call and talk to Bill Spawr, who trains the defending Breeders’ Cup Sprint Champion, Amazombie. Amazombie will be seeing action Sunday in the grade one Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar going six furlongs. First up, though, we’re happy to have in with us trainer Dale Romans. Dale will have grade one action, both Saturday at Saratoga with Tapitsfly in the Diana Stakes, and on Sunday, of course, at Monmouth with Dullahan in the Haskell Invitational. Dale, it’s Eric Wing. How are you today?

 

Dale Romans: Doing well. How are you?

 

Eric Wing: I’m just fine, thank you. And Dale, in the lead-up to the Haskell there’s been a lot of waiting and seeing, I guess you could say, with connections trying to decide whether to run in the Haskell or the Jim Dandy. But you’ve been pretty up front and decisive right away in choosing the Haskell for Dullahan. What was it that pointed out the Haskell as Dullahan’s best spot for you?

 

Dale Romans: Well, you know, it was—he’s already won two great ones, both in on polytrack. Even though he had a third in the Kentucky Derby with—like—he needs to have a big win on dirt for his next career in the stud barn. And the Haskell just seemed like a logical spot.

 

Eric Wing: Is this a big race to determine for Dullahan what—on what surface his future will take place?

 

Dale Romans: Yes, I think it is. I think he needs to run at least a very game race and look like he handles the track. I mean, we’re throwing out the Belmont. It was a little bit different. It was a little—deep, heavier type race track. I don’t think he likes that. But I still think on the right dirt track he’ll run big.

 

Eric Wing: Okay, you’ve got a very talented mare racing at Saratoga on Saturday, and Tapitsfly, who was terrific on Belmont Stakes day and in the Just A Game wiring the field, winter memories among those left in her wake. Now, a couple of added variables for Saturday, Dale. One is the distance, a mile and an eighth longer than she’s run in the past. And also I suppose the possibility of some soft ground. Do either of those two possibilities, or in one case the distance is a certainty, do either of those two things worry you?

 

Dale Romans: Well, you know, ideally I’d like for them to make it a mile on a fast track but they’re not going to do it, so we’ve got to—we’ve got to play the game they’re giving us. And she’ll handle the distance. She’s plenty fit and plenty—she’s run longer distances before and run well. I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. And as far as the course goes, I mean, I think she can handle it, but we’ll have to wait and find out.

 

Eric Wing: Okay, Dale. Well, as you know from past experience we’ve got some media members listening in with us, so at this point I’ll turn the call back over to Michelle and we’ll see what questions the writers and broadcasters have for you.

 

Jennie Rees: Yes, what is it about Monmouth? You said Belmont’s a little different, but what is it about Monmouth that makes you think that this could be the right dirt track for him to run big on?

 

Dale Romans: Well, I don’t think Monmouth is as near as deep and and cuppy as the racetrack at Belmont. I think it’s a little bit more like Churchill. He handled Churchill well, you know. You know, maybe it’s just me but that’s the way I feel about that course.

 

Jennie Rees: Well, I mean, he’s got—Monmouth has a reputation for speed favoring. Have you been—and I haven’t really been paying a lot of attention to the races there. Is it a deserved reputation? I mean, do you see it playing different this year?

 

Dale Romans: You know, I don’t think, you know, that’s the reputation of the place but you know, we came from last to run a sound last year with Shackleford. And you know, I think a big race with a lot of good horses and I think it usually plays fairly, you know, fair.

 

Jennie Rees: And you sat with Kent Desormeaux as his jockey?

 

Dale Romans: Yes. Kent’s going to be back on him.

 

Jennie Rees: Yes, okay. And then final question—

 

Dale Romans: He’s doing well and he seems like he’s doing good.

 

Jennie Rees: So final question is without some of the marquis horses from the Triple Crown, you know, much of the spring was spent talking about how deep these horses are. What about—if you could sort of talk about the second half of the season that we’re starting now with these horses and how big a gaping hole is it that we don’t have Union Rags and I’ll Have Another, or do you think people forget about those horses come fall?

 

Dale Romans: Well, nobody’s going to forget about them. They’ve accomplished too much in the first half of the year, but I think there’s some good horses left out there, like Dullahan, like Paynter. I mean, I’m a huge Paynter fan. I think he’s one of our best three year olds of the crop, and we’ve got—I don’t mean personally—I know I have O’Prado Again coming back on the scene for the last half of the year which I think was one of last year’s best two year olds. So I mean, we’ve still got a lot of exciting three year olds to run.

 

Jennie Rees: Great, thanks, Dale.

 

Lynne Snierson: Hey, Dale. I just wondered if you had any early thoughts on the field right yet – if some Paynter, Le Bernardin, Nonios Handsome Mike, and Steelcase. Any way to evaluate that at this stage?

 

Dale Romans: Well, I mean, not really. I think Paynters the horse to beat and he will be out there running in the front end like he has in all his races and we’ll just have to try to run him down. I’m not as familiar with the rest of them as I am with Painter.

 

Jennie Rees: Yes, Dale, just turning to that why you kept Dullahan at Churchill when you obviously had a lot of, you know, a major presence at—Saratoga’s a little shorter ship than Monmouth from Saratoga than Churchill.

 

Dale Romans: Well, we didn’t get to Saratoga until about 10 days ago and I didn’t see any reason to ship him here, train him on this surface, which is different than Churchill and different from Monmouth, and for 10 days, and then ship him all the way back down to Monmouth. So we just kept him on one track and then shipped him into Monmouth. He actually arrived last night.

 

Jennie Rees: And I asked you a question about Tapitsfly. Could you just sort of comment on looking long term, the rest of the season, what you might have in store for her and what kind of noise you think she can make as far as trying to make a championship bid in that division?

 

Dale Romans: Well, I think this weekend is going to answer a lot of questions. When you get to a mile and an eighth it’s going to open the door for, you know, a few other options. But I haven’t really looked past this race. I just want to see if she’ll handle the mile and an eighth and if she does, I think she will. I mean, she’s doing really well. If she does we’ll have a lot more places to look.

 

Jennie Rees: Okay. And actually I do have one more final question. What are these turf horses that are in your—even your dirt horses, people think of them sort of as turf horses that you have in your barn these days.

 

Dale Romans: Well, I think one of the reasons is we go out looking for the route pedigrees and some of the better, route pedigrees that we can afford end up being turf pedigrees also. And it’s just worked out. I mean, this year we got five that really look good and three turf horses and—but I don’t mind having them. They’re good horses to have at three.

 

Jon White: Congratulations, Dale, for your Virginia Derby win with Silver Max.

 

Dale Romans: Thank you.

 

Jon White: And with Silver Max headed to The Secretariat I was wondering what you had in mind for Cozzetti?

 

Dale Romans: Well, I think we were planning on running two of them in The Secretariat, but now I’m kind of looking around and running one of them maybe in the Hall of Fame and—or the Del Mar Derby for Cozzetti. Just haven’t nailed anything down yet. As of right now they’re both going to run as an entry in The Secretariat, but that could change.

 

Danny Brewer: Is it put up or shut up time?

 

Dale Romans: Is it put or shut up on…?

 

Danny Brewer: For Dullahan on the dirt. I mean, if he doesn’t really run well on the dirt is he going to become exclusively turf? Is it time to make that distinction here in the Haskell?

 

Dale Romans: Well, I mean, I don’t think it will be the final decision. It may be the final one for the rest of the year. I’ll leave that up to Mr. Crawford. But, you know, hopefully he’s around this year and next year and there’s a lot of time to get him grade one on the dirt. But, you know it’s a possibility he could run this weekend. If he doesn’t run well he could shoot off in the Secretariat or the Del Mar Derby, (inaudible) at the end of the year on the grass.

 

Danny Brewer: This is a different (inaudible) of sorts but what about Shackleford? He’s one of my favorites. How he’s doing right now?

 

Dale Romans: He’s training super. You know, he’s doing really well. We’re working on making the Whitney with him because he did come out of the Met Mile pretty tired and he had never been like that before. It took him a little bit while—a little while to get on his feet and—but he couldn’t be doing better right now, and we’re pointing towards the Forego.

 

Eric Wing: Dale, before we part ways, I just wanted to ask you about Silver Max’s win in the Virginia Derby. I don’t know whether you were in Virginia or watching it on television, but what were your thoughts knowing that the course had been greatly softened by rain and then to see a horse not just come alongside but pass Silver Max, whose rider had lost the irons. Did it seem like down the back stretch like this was kind of a worst case scenario unfolding?

 

Dale Romans: Yes, there were a lot of concerns. I mean, I didn’t know how he would handle the soft going. You know, how he did go a mile and a quarter. I never expected for a saddle slip-up on a horse’s neck

[Two Month’s Rent’s] and he got hooked on the backside for the first time. But he handled everything. I mean, if they didn’t beat him in that race I don’t know what it would take to beat him. He’s just doing—he’s just too much on his game right now.

 

Eric Wing: And obviously, I mean, I’m about to talk about two completely different horses, but when you see Silver Max do what he did under some adverse conditions, does it give you maybe a little extra hope that, gosh, if he can do it maybe Tapitsfly can stretch out and go longer with success as well?

 

Dale Romans: Well, sure, I hope so. I mean, I really think she can and you’re right. I’ve had a lot of those same concerns with Silver Max and at the end of the day we didn’t have anything to worry about. Hopefully the same thing will happen this weekend.

 

Eric Wing: All right. Well, Dale, indeed, good luck to you on both fronts this weekend, Saratoga in the Diana with Tapitsfly, and Sunday with Dullahan in the Haskell. As always, we appreciate your time on these calls.

 

Dale Romans: It’s always fun. Thanks.

 

Eric Wing: Thank you, Dale. That’s Dale Romans, who’s had a perfectly fine year last year. In fact, he won a Breeders’ Cup race with Court Vision in Breeders’ Cup mile, but I think you’d have to call this year something of a career year for Dale with such a breadth of grade one performers, and we’ll see a couple of them, Tapitsfly Saturday at Saratoga in the Diana, and Dullahan Sunday in the Million Dollar Haskell at Monmouth Park. Okay, our next guest will be trainer Ian Wilkes, who has got a couple of talented horses in his stable as well. A week from Saturday he’ll be running Fort Larned in the Whitney Invitational Handicap up at Saratoga. But Ian has business to attend to this Saturday with Neck ’n Neck, the winner of two in a row, trying to make it three in a row, in Saturday’s grade two $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes. I understand that Ian is kindly taking time out of his participation in a charity golf tournament up at Saratoga in order to be on the call, so perhaps Ian is lining up a shot right now. We wouldn’t want to interrupt that, but as soon as he—as soon as he gets that off maybe he can hop on and chat with us while he’s walking between holes. Leandro Goncalves, who is three for three aboard Neck ’n Neck and won each of the last two aboard Neck ’n Neck will again have the mount Saturday in the Jim Dandy Stakes, mile and an eighth, $600,000 on the main track. Among some of the horses scheduled to line up against him are Alpha, Teeth of the Dog, the Dwyer winner, and Liaison, who just had a real nice work for Bob Baffert and plans were quickly made to go after the Saratoga dough. Martin Garcia reunited, I suppose, with Baffert will come east to ride Liaison at Saratoga in the Jim Dandy Stakes. Of course, Neck ’n Neck was tangling with some of the toughies earlier in the year. Horses like Union Rags, Discreet Dancer, Take Charge Indy, with not great success, but he seems to have really turned a corner ever since the calendar flipped over to May with two daylight victories. First coming by six and a half lengths and then an allowance at Churchill, and then the grade three Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill on June 16th, which is Neck ’n Neck’s most recent performance. Ian, very happy to have you with us. It’s Eric Wing in New York, and I know you’re busy, but how is everything going with you and your horses these days?

 

Ian Wilkes: Good, Eric. Very good, thank you. Couldn’t be happier. You know, touch wood, things are going good at the moment.

 

Eric Wing: And one of the horses that’s been a great cause for optimism is Neck ’n Neck, who is tangling with some of the toughies earlier in the year, but boy, the real turnaround seems to have taken place once we went into May with those two big allowance victories. What’s been the difference with Neck ’n Neck in terms of getting him over the hump?

 

Ian Wilkes: Maturity. You know, it’s just a simple thing of horses finally maturing and not making mistakes in the race, you know. That’s the biggest key with him. It’s not to make mistakes and just growing up a little.

 

Eric Wing: And Leandro Goncalves has not only been on Neck ’n Neck for these two recent wins, but he was also aboard for his one other win. So Leandro is three for three aboard your colt. Now remember, Tom Amoss just showering him with praise on one of these calls a few months ago. What is it that Goncalves brings to the table, Ian?

 

Ian Wilkes: He’s a very good young rider. He—horses seem to run for him, and he’s reading the race good, you know. He’s really getting in the comfort zone, in reading a race, and the horse’s respond to him. That’s the biggest key.

 

Jon White: Ian, I see that Neck ’n Neck has had a couple of work-outs at Saratoga, including one yesterday. What can you tell us about his work-out yesterday now he’s handling that rack?

 

Ian Wilkes: I couldn’t be happier the way he handled the track yesterday. When he broke off in the five eighths pole he actually got a couple horses coming out the gate and sort of come up behind him and sort of pushed him a little bit early. And then we come around the turn, there was a horse breezing up in front of him and he had a target. He had to go and get it. So it ended up being a little quicker than what I wanted, but he come back, good and he ate up last night, so that’s a big key. He really handled it well.

 

Jon White: Well, that’s good news. And then the other question I would have, how’s your golf game today?

 

Ian Wilkes: I need a little more practice. But being a horse trainer it’s a little hard sometimes.

 

Jon White: Don’t we all. Thank you very much, Ian.

 

Jennie Rees: Yes, Ian. Following up on Jon’s question what’s the tougher assignment, you trying to win this charity golf tournament or Neck ’n Neck trying to win the Jim Dandy?

 

Ian Wilkes: I think the golf tournament. I got a little more confidence in my horse.

 

Jennie Rees: Well, you know, (inaudible) because I’m looking at his PPs and obviously his last two races, you know, he wins by open lengths, triple digit speed figure. But he also has not faced the competition that he faced early in the year. So how do we evaluate Neck ’n Neck against the competition that he’s going to be facing Saturday at Saratoga?

 

Ian Wilkes: Yes, that’s a good question. You know, definitely best (inaudible) is the key. I was only five lengths behind him, I was five lengths behind the Belmont winner, actually four lengths in the Fountain of Youth and then finished five lengths off of him in the Derby. So the key is have I improved five lengths? I really think I have, you know. So I think he belongs and I’m going to learn a lot on Saturday.

 

Jennie Rees: And I know it’s a week later the Whitney, but Fort Larned, is he kind of the same situation as Neck ’n Neck in these, you know, as far as a horse that looks like he’s in good form that’s hooked some tough horses earlier but seems like he’s doing great now, and…?

 

Ian Wilkes: Yes, exactly. You know, that horse is—that horse is—he’s doing really well. I’m very pleased with him as well, and the way he’s handled the track up here, I’m very happy with him. And, (inaudible), you know, I ran against Successful Dan. I’ve competed against him. He beat me a length. I come back and beat him. And so I think I belong there with him.

 

Jennie Rees: So who would you be more—well, we don’t even know who’s in for sure the Jim Dandy versus certainly the Whitney, but is there a horse you would feel more confident Neck ’n Neck or Fort Larned? I know it’s kind of a tough question because you don’t even know who’s going in the races, so.

 

Ian Wilkes: Yes, that’s a catch 22 there. Yes. But no, I’m very—I’m happy with the way Neck ’n Neck’s doing. I’ve got a another work with Fort Larned before the race and you know, he had a nice easy breeze yesterday with Fort Larned. He’s right on where I want him. But Neck ’n Neck, I couldn’t be happier the way he’s doing. So I’m just actually very excited to get him in, to get this race going.

 

Jennie Rees: Just one final question about him. You’ve been very involved with Mr. Miles’program. Can you comment about the breeding (inaudible) out of the Storm Boot mare, Bootery by Flower Alley, who at the time, the mare would have been bred, but certainly not, you know, he was not the sire of a derby winner at that point. So are these tough, hard knocking horses. Can you talk about his pedigree?

 

Ian Wilkes: Yes, yes. The mother was a little, you know, she was—she made over $100,000 and she was a tough mare. You know, tough, hard runner but she wasn’t Stakes quality, you know. She’s actually produced a little bit of the toughness in the baby, and she produced the Flower Alley, a young mare who produced more of the classic in the horse.

 

Carol Holden: I’ve got a question sort of dealing with your Australian influence, and then combined with Carl Nafzger. Both of those tend to be people who don’t rush horses, you know. An awful lot of people get their horses to the race as two year olds, push them at three. Your horses generally seem to run better later in their career, late three year olds, four, five year old here. Can you talk about some of the influences between Carl and your Australian experience and how that relates to this?

 

Ian Wilkes: Yes. You know, the thing is, and it’s probably well documented and every time I run a first time starter it’s always zero for something. I’m not worried about the first time. My thing is sometimes if I, if I get to pushing them too much, trying to win that first time out, they’re not ready to go ahead off of that. So I like to take a more patient approach and I just love to develop horses, you know. Give them time, let them get better as they get older, and you know, horses like Fort Larned. He’s just turned four and he’s just getting good. You’re just enjoying them. They’re around for a while. It just sounds like the fly by your pants, win the first time out, and you don’t see them again.

 

Carol Holden: I know you’ve had that experience in the past and you’re right, because about three or four, five years ago at Keeneland you and Carl were winning with everything, a first time starter and when I recall none of the horses were seen or heard from after that. But anyway, thanks a lot and best of luck and see you soon.

 

Danny Brewer: Hey, Ian. What did you see in the Matt Winn that made you know Neck ’n Neck was ready for a big jump in class like the Jim Dandy?

 

Ian Wilkes: You know, in that race I thought the horse, he trained to come into that race, and I thought I could win that race but it’s a very competitive race. I think (inaudible) had a horse in there.