THIS SINCE HE WAS LITTLE.
>> HORSE RACING HAS BEEN MY
LIFE.
REPORTER: DALE ROMANS IS A
SECOND GENERATION HORSEMEN, GREW
UP IN BARN 4 ON THE CHURCHILL
BACKSIDE WITH DAD AND TRAINER
JERRY, WHO PASSED AWAY IN 2000.
WHO TAUGHT HIM TO SURVIVE
ADVERSITIES.
>> THIS BEING AS WEIRD OF A YEAR
YOU HAVE GOT TO LOOK FOR
POSITIVES.
REPORTER: THIS HAS BEEN A LONG
AND WINDING ROAD FOR ROMANS TO
KENTUCKY DERBY 146.
IT STARTED A YEAR AGO, IN
SEPTEMBER OF 2019, THE FIRST
RACE IN THE ROAD SERIES, WHEN
ROMAN’S DENNIS’ MOMENT WON THE
GRADE 3 IROQUOIS STAKES AT
CHURCHILL DOWNS.
>> DENNIS MOMENT KICKS OFF THE
ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY IN A
BIG WAY.
REPORTER: BUT THAT DREAM ENDED
IN A DISASTER AS THE PROHIBITIVE
FAVORITE IN THE BREEDER’S CUP
JUVENILE.
>> THREE TO FIVE STUMBLING OUT
OF THE GATE.
REPORTER: BUT THE DELAYED RUN
FOR THE ROSES ALLOWED TIME FOR
ANOTHER IN THE ROMANS BARN TO
BLOSSOM.
ATTACHMENT RATE.
>> YOU NEVER KNOW IN THIS GAME,
ALONG COMES ATTACHMENT RATE, HE
HAD INJURED HIMSELF AT 2, HAD
HIGH HOPES FOR HIM, HURT AN
ANKLE, CAME BACK AND WON AT
GULFSTREAM, I START THINKING
DERBY TRAIL.
REPORTER: REALLY?
>> EVERY 3-YEAR-OLD’S A DERBY
HORSE UNTIL THEY ARE NOT.
REPORTER: THIS IS A GUY WHO
SHOULD KNOW.
IN 2012 WON THE BLUE GRASS
STAKES WITH DULLAHAN AND WAS
THIRD IN THE KENTUCKY DERBY.
AND IN 2015 WON THE TRAVERS WITH
KEEN ICE, UPSETTING TRIPLE CROWN
WINNER AMERICAN PHAROAH.
AND THAT BRINGS US BACK TO
ATTACHMENT RATE, WHO COMES OFF A
SECOND IN THE ELLIS PARK DERBY
TO THE NOW INJURED ART
COLLECTOR, WHO WOULD’VE THE
SECOND CHOICE IN THE DERBY.
MAKING ATTACHMENT RATE A LIVE
LONGSHOT.
>> ATTACHMENT RATE HAD TURNED
INTO ONE OF THE NOW HORSES.
HE WAS NOT PHYSICALLY READY FOR
A MATE.
HE HAS A DIFFERENT HORSE TODAY.
REPORTER: WINNING THE KENTUCKY
DERBY IS THE BENCH MARK OF
GREATNESS IN THE SPORT,
EVERYBODY WANTS TO WIN IT FOR
THE RESUME.
BUT AFTER GROWING UP LITERALLY
IN THE SHADOWS OF THE TWIN
SPIRES, YOU CAN MAKE THE CASE
THAT DALE ROMANS WANTS TO WIN IT
FOR HIS HEART, AND SOUL.
FROM CHURCHILL DOWNS, I’M FRED
COWGILL, WLKY SPORTS.
JENNIFER: POST TIME FOR THE
DERBY IS 7:00 SATURDAY NIGHT.
ATTACHMENT RATE HAS BE
