A licensed trainer since age 18, Dale Romans saddled his first winner on February 15, 1987, at Turfway Park. The son of trainer Jerry Romans, a leading trainer at Turfway and twice leader at Ellis Park, Dale began working in his father’s stable from literally the time he could walk. Romans also worked briefly for Hall of Fame trainer Woody Stephens. On May 30, 2003, Romans reached an impressive, although perhaps bittersweet, milestone: recording his 200th win at Churchill Downs, which just so happened to move Romans past his late father on Churchill’s all-time victory list.
Among his most successful horses, Kitten’s Joy won the Grade I Secretariat Stakes and the Grade I Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational in 2004. He went on to finish second that year in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. This was enough to be voted the Eclipse Award for American Champion Male Turf Horse. In 2005 Roses in May provided Romans with the biggest payday of his career to date when he won the $6 million Dubai World Cup. He collected his first Breeders’ Cup win in 2009 when Tapitsfly won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
2012 – A Banner Year for Dale Romans
In January, 2013, Dale received the industry’s prestigious Eclipse Award for outstanding trainer. With four horses winning multiple Grade One races: Little Mike, Dullahan, Shackleford and Tapitsfly, he earned 27 stakes victories at 12 different tracks. Earlier in 2012, he won the spring Churchill Downs training title, later sharing the title with trainer Ken McPeek in the fall. Then, in December 2012, Romans was chosen as the winner of the Big Sport of Turfdom Award. This honor is ‘bestowed upon a person or group of people who enhance coverage of Thoroughbred racing through cooperation with media and Thoroughbred racing publicists.’
2017 – On November 12, 2017, Dale became all time leading trainer with most wins (703) in Churchill Downs history.
Dale is an active advocate for the sport serving/having served in volunteer leadership positions of various industry organizations, including,
- President, Kentucky HBPA (Nov 2024, Dale Romans elected President of the Ky HBPA)
- Vice President, Kentucky HBPA
- Board of Directors, Kentucky HBPA
- Board of Directors, Churchill Backside Health & Welfare Fund
- Member, Churchill Downs Racing Committee