By Karen Johnson
Reprinted with permission from The Saratoga Special — www.saratogaspecial.com

Nobody inducted into the Hall of Fame gets there without a display of complete dedication to their trade.

But in the case of jockey Randy Romero, dedication might not be a strong enough word.

Romero takes his spot in the hallowed Hall today. On the eve of this great honor, the 52-year-old retired jockey could not have been more elated.

“I’m excited. I’m honored. And I’m blessed,” Romero said with a wide smile. “I’ve been riding since I was 9 years old and when I hit 16, 17, I was riding at the Fair Grounds and Louisiana Downs, and big riders would come from other states and ride at those tracks. I said then, ‘That’s what I want to be. I want to be that kind of rider. I want to be in the Hall of Fame.’ Dreams come true, they really do. It was a dream that I had, and I fulfilled it.”

The Cajun began riding on the rough-and-tumble Quarter Horse circuit in the Bayou, and soon after made the move to Thoroughbreds.

Before his 26-year career ended, Romero had won riding titles at 10 tracks, won Breeders’ Cup races aboard Personal Ensign, Go For Wand and Sacahuista, and had ridden numerous stakes winners for one of racing’s most influential owners and breeders, the Phipps family.

Romero booted home more than 4,200 winners, and his mounts amassed in excess of $75 million.

But swinging his right leg over more than 26,000 horses in the afternoon did take its toll. Romero suffered some terrible accidents on and off the track. He constantly battled his weight and was in the hot box about as often as he was in the saddle.

Romero suffered serious burns after a hot box accident when a light bulb broke and ignited rubbing alcohol he had on his body from a rubdown.

He nearly lost his arm in a riding accident that resulted in a broken elbow, which failed to heal properly and gave him grief for three years. All told, Romero required more than two dozen surgeries during his career.

Romero’s perseverance didn’t go unnoticed and is still foremost on the mind of trainer Shug McGaughey for whom Romero rode Personal Ensign who retired undefeated in 13 starts for the Phipps family.

She capped her career under Romero with a brilliant victory over Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors in the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

“I’m tickled to death. It’s well-deserved, and I think that Randy is the epitome of what people should be in the Hall of Fame,” said McGaughey, who was inducted in 2004. “He started out young, went through all the injuries, he was a great rider, he’s been a great ambassador for the sport, and he is a very, very deserving member.”

McGaughey said there was nothing particularly distinctive about Romero’s style of riding, but what was apparent to the trainer was that horses responded favorably.

“I don’t think Randy’s style was Bill Shoemaker or Pat Day’s type of style – horses just ran for him. I think that was it with Personal Ensign; she just ran for him,” McGaughey said. “He always understood her and knew when to move on her. It just all worked. I don’t think it was really his style or anything as much as it just worked. And that is what kind of rider Randy was, one that made it work.”

Since his retirement in 1999, Romero worked as a jockey’s agent and galloped horses for trainer Dallas Stewart.

Health issues continue to hound Romero, who functions without one kidney, and has no spleen or liver.

Those injuries were likely caused by the damage done while the jockey was reducing and from a riding accident early in his career when he punctured his now-removed kidney. He also has battled Hepatitis C.

Now, Romero receives dialysis three times a week. His attitude is remarkable considering the sacrifices he had to make – sacrifices that are well-chronicled in an entertaining read about his life and career, “Randy Romero’s Remarkable Ride,” by Bill Heller. Romero said an independent movie producer is now keen on telling his life story on the big screen.

These days Romero lives in New Orleans with his wife of 34 years, Cricket, who will sit proudly in the audience during today’s ceremonies. His 29-year-old son, Randy Jr., an equine dentist, won’t be there because Romero’s granddaughter started school this week.

The family will mark the Hall of Fame induction belatedly during a Thanksgiving trip to Disney World.

“You know, I’ve been very, very blessed,” Romero said. “I was able to do something I loved and thought about all the time. I think all the things that happened – the injuries – made me a stronger person. Those comebacks required a lot of rehabilitation. But I was always determined to ride again.”

Reprinted with permission from The Saratoga Special — www.saratogaspecial.com

By Karen Johnson

The blacksmith was needed at trainer Mike Hushion’s barn Friday morning, but not for reasons you would think.

Sheryl Schwartz, wife of Barry Schwartz who has homebred Lovely Lil in today’s Grade I Test, had a handbag emergency. The lock on her lovely taupe-colored bag, which contained just about everything a person would need to get through the day, had to be broken because the key was inconveniently inside.

A no-nonsense looking tool did the trick within seconds, and Sheryl was ecstatic. Almost as good as winning the Test, she was asked?

“Winning the Test would make me much happier,” she said.

Lovely Lil is one of two horses that will be saddled by Hushion in the $250,000 Test, a 7-furlong stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

Pica Slew will make her initial start for Hushion after winning three consecutive races at Calder for owner/breeder Terra Di Sienna Stables. Pica Slew, a 2-length winner of the Grade III Azalea Stakes last month, assumed 5-2 morning-line favorite status after the defection of Franny Freud who suffered a career-ending injury Thursday.

The undefeated New York-bred Lovely Lil is out of the Schwartz-owned and Hushion-trained How About Now, winner of the 1996 Schulyerville Stakes at Saratoga.

The Schwartz’ named their Test starter for their rescue dog, Lil, a mixed breed, with some Lab in the pedigree. Barry Schwartz swears there is also some Greyhound in Lil’s family.

“You should see her on the farm; she runs so fast,” Schwartz said. “When [Hushion] saw Lil, he had to concede she had some Greyhound in her.”

As for the equine Lil, she too is fleet-footed. The daughter of Tiznow is coming off an 8-length romp in a restricted allowance race at Belmont Park last month. She ran only two-fifths of a second slower than Prioress winner Franny Freud did several races later in the card. In her career debut at Saratoga last year, Lovely Lil was a 7-length winner of a New York-bred maiden race.

“Lil surprised me the first time she ran because she wasn’t a brilliant work horse,” Hushion said. “I had some confidence in her when she ran in her last race.”

As for Pica Slew, Hushion said he wasn’t too keen on her inside post going seven-eighths. Calder-based rider Manoel Cruz, who was aboard the daughter of Pico Central for her last three wins, has kept the mount.

“I watched her races, and he rides her well,” Hushion said.

Buckleupbuttercup, who finished second to Pica Slew in the Azalea, gets another crack at that rival in the Test. The Eddie Kenneally-trained filly has been the picture of consistency this year, winning three of seven starts, and placing in three other races. On Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs, the daughter of Najran won the Grade III Eight Belles at 7 1/2 furlongs in the slop for her owner and breeder, Avalon Farm.

Asked if the Test became a bit easier with Franny Freud out, Kenneally said, “This is still a deep bunch of fillies, evenly matched.”

“Buttercup,” as she is known around the barn, has a first and a second at the Test distance of 7 furlongs.

“I think she is better at 7 furlongs,” Kenneally said. “She is a solid filly; very consistent. If she proved to be competitive at the Grade I level [the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint] would be something definitely considered. We’ll find out tomorrow.”

Eric Guillot will saddle Champagne d’Oro for Southern Equine Stables. Following her upset in the Acorn where she paid $81, the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro finished second to Franny Freud in the Grade I Prioress. After a troubled trip under Miguel Mena, Champagne d’Oro was beaten less than 2 lengths by the Prioress winner.

Guillot is also looking at the bigger picture as he prepares Champagne d’Oro for the Test.

“We’re looking at the Breeders’ Cup, the seven-eighths sprint for females,” he said. “It looks like the division has weakened a bit and is spread out. I would like to keep her at seven-eighths. She will go a mile and a sixteenth, a mile and an eighth, but I figure let’s wait until she is 4 and stronger and bigger for that. For now we will keep her at seven-eighths. The Test is a very prestigious race.”

Rounding out the field is the Bob Baffert-trained Bonnie Blue Flag, third in the Prioress; Christine Daae who looked fabulous during the winter at Gulfstream Park in two non-stakes victories; allowance winner Ash Zee; Jostle winner Belle Of The Hall; and Tidal Pool, third in the Grade I Kentucky Oaks.

The field in post position order and with riders: Pica Slew (Manoel Cruz); Buckleupbuttercup (Julien Leparoux); Champagne d’Oro (Miguel Mena); Bonnie Blue Flag (John Velazquez); Lovely Lil (Alan Garcia); Belle Of The Hall (Ramon Dominguez); Ash Zee (Rajiv Maragh); Christine Daae (Pablo Fragoso); and Tidal Pool (Calvin Borel).