Romans’ own teenage children have stood beside him, watched his interactions with the horses, and experienced some of his greatest races, but will likely not follow in their father’s footsteps.
“Jacob is interested in the game. Not that I ever see him training horses or really working with the animal. He more likes the game side of it. And Bailey has no interest in it.”
Jacob is Romans’ 15-year-old son who has made appearances on horse racing radio broadcasts and Bailey is Romans’ 18-year-old daughter who graduated high school last week.
Although Romans was in New York last week preparing for the Belmont Stakes and fielding media calls, he made sure that he was on a flight back to Louisville last Thursday to see his little girl receive her diploma. The next day, he was back in New York tending to his horse, Shackleford. The family, which includes Romans’ twenty-year partner and mother to Jacob and Bailey, Tammy Fox, plans to celebrate Bailey’s graduation in New York.
Over the past several years, the hard work Romans has put into his career has garnered him wins in the $6 million Dubai World Cup (2005), The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (2009), and his first Triple Crown win with this year’s Preakness Stakes. He also trained the recipient of the 2004 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Male Turf Horse, Kitten’s Joy. A win in this weekend’s Belmont Stakes would not only give Romans another classic win, but may also put him on track to receive his own Eclipse Award for trainer of the year when the honors are awarded this winter.
