Romans Mulling Rider Options for J Boys Echo
Image:
Description:
Photo: Coglianese Photos/Susie Raisher
J Boys Echo wins the Gotham at Aqueduct March 4
If this is the year trainer Dale Romans gets to celebrate his first win in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), the Louisville native admits there will be a bittersweet taste to the milestone achievement.
Romans said April 24 he and owners Albaugh Family Stable were still discussing who might ride Gotham Stakes (G3) winner J Boys Echo in the first leg of the Triple Crown in the wake of his regular rider, Robby Albarado, sustaining a fracture to his left leg at Keeneland April 23.
SHEA: Albarado Fractures Leg, Off J Boys Echo in Derby
Albarado suffered the injury at the start of the eighth race Sunday when his mount, Chiltern Street, stumbled at the start of the race, unseating Albarado. The 2017 Hall of Fame finalist is expected to be sidelined for at least three to four weeks according to his agent, costing him opportunities aboard J Boys Echo in the Kentucky Derby and graded stakes winner Daddys Lil Darling in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1).
Romans said Luis Saez, Gary Stevens, Corey Nakatani, and Kent Desormeaux were among those being considered for the mount on J Boys Echo on the first Saturday in May. As a close friend of Albarado, Romans added there was more than the usual angst surrounding his current situation.
"I hate the fact that we lost Robby," Romans said. "A lot of my regulars are out there and we're going to sit down (Monday) and talk about what we should do. But the biggest thing though, is we hate to see Robby go down. I wanted to win a Derby with my good friend and he knows this horse and had a lot of confidence in him.
"It's very disappointing. We talked this winter after we won the Gotham how nice it would be to win a Derby together."
Ken McPeek, trainer of Daddys Lil Darling, confirmed via text message Monday evening that Julien Leparoux would inherit the mount for the Oaks.
Albarado is no stranger to Kentucky Derby misfortune via injury. In 2011, he was slated to ride eventual winner Animal Kingdom in the classic but ended up being replaced by John Velazquez when Albarado was kicked in the face by a horse days before the race.
"After what happened with Animal Kingdom, Robby deserves to win a Kentucky Derby and it would have been nice to do it together," Romans said. "The good thing is those things heal and he'll be back."