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After A Chilly Reception From Stallion Farms, Rombauer Is Making His Way Back To The Races

Back in early 2022 when John and Diane Fradkin announced that their homebred GI Preakness winner Rombauer (Twirling Candy) was being retired after suffering a soft tissue injury they went to work to find him his new home. The horse has a good pedigree and is a Grade I winner, so the expectations were that he'd stand at stud in Kentucky. Regional markets were also considered. Another option was Japan. But no matter where their horse might land, the Fradkins decided that Rombauer's racing career was over.

That was the plan, until the plan went awry. Rombauer's current home is not in Central Kentucky but in South Florida. Based at Gulfstream Park for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., Rombauer is in training and could make his next start some time next month. He has not raced since finishing third more than two years ago in the 2021 GI Belmont S.

“I never expected this,” John Fradkin said.

The calls began after the decision was made to retire Rombauer and the Fradkins reached out to all the usual suspects. While they were willing to listen to any offers, they felt their horse had done enough to have earned the right to stand in Kentucky. He had also won the El Camino Real Derby and finished second in the GI American Pharoah S. and third in the GII Blue Grass S. while earning $1,040,500. He was a winner on dirt, turf and synthetic. Those are solid credentials, but the Kentucky farms weren't sold.

“The only real market in this country is Kentucky and Kentucky wasn't interested in him, which shocked me,” Fradkin said. “I never received a real offer in writing at any price. I did offer the horse to several places for what I thought was a spectacular deal, where they would almost be guaranteed to get their money back in one year, and they still didn't take it.”

The Japanese weren't interested, either, Fradkin said. He might have been able to find a farm outside of Kentucky to take Rombauer, but he didn't aggressively pursue that avenue. Whether it was from Kentucky, Japan, New York, California, Maryland, Fradkin said he never received an official offer in writing for the horse from anyone.

“The plan was to have him stand in Kentucky,” Fradkin said. “Plan B was Japan. Plan C was to run him again, and that's what we are doing. To borrow a quote from Jena Antonucci, 'when there's no seat at the table, you have to build your own table.'”

Fradkin admits that not everyone among the group that teamed up to win the Preakness was on board with the comeback. Rombauer was trained by Michael McCarthy and the Fradkins offered to give him the horse back. He declined.

“Michael wasn't that receptive to training him for a comeback,” Fradkin said. “His exact comment was that he had done enough and should be a stallion. I don't disagree with that, but the stallion farms weren't interested in him. We couldn't force them to take the horse. Michael is a conservative guy and I respect that. He just didn't want to be responsible if something goes wrong. I have two trainers and Saffie is my East Coast trainer. Saffie was up for it. So he's with Saffie now.”

After the Belmont, Rombauer was training at Del Mar and the Fradkins were looking at races like the GI Haskell S. and the GI Travers S. After McCarthy expressed concerns that the horse wasn't 100 percent, they gave him 90 days off. Back in training and gearing up for a 4-year-old campaign, Rombauer suffered the soft tissue injury and the decision was made to retire him.

After deciding to regroup because of the lack of interest from the stallion farms, the Fradkins put Rombauer back into light training at WinStar Farm on Dec. 1. The next stop was Ocala and from there he went to Joseph's barn at Gulfstream, where he arrived in mid-June. He has had two official workouts for Joseph, both at three furlongs. Fradkin is thrilled with how the horse is doing.

“Rombauer is happy and thriving at the racetrack,” he said. “I am sure that he enjoys being back in training.”

Should Rombauer make it back to the races in August that will mean a gap of about 26 months between races. Fradkin believes it's an obstacle he can overcome.

“The world is going to get to see a bigger, faster version of Rombauer,” he said. “One thing people may remember about him is that in his moment of glory in the Preakness he looked like this little horse galloping by these much bigger horses. I think people will be surprised by how big he is now. It's not for sure that we'll make it back. Things could always go wrong. But if he makes it back he's going to make it back at a high level.”

For the Fradkins, the ideal scenario would be for the now 5-year-old to win some major races during his comeback, to do enough that next time around the major Kentucky stallion farms will come knocking on their door. If not, Fradkin is confident he will be able to work out a deal with a farm in another state.

“He will be a stallion some day,” he said. “So far as where, we'll just have to see how things turn out. In the meantime, we're ready to try him on the big stage once again.”

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Preakness Hero Rombauer Seeks New Kentucky Home

Last year's edition of the GI Preakness S. marked one of the best days of John Fradkin's life when Rombauer (Twirling Candy-Cashmere, by Cowboy Cal), a second-generation homebred for the California native and his wife Diane, took the second leg of the Triple Crown.

Going off as the fifth choice, Rombauer stormed past favorites Medina Spirit (Protonico) and Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) in the stretch to win by 3 1/2 lengths. It was the first Preakness victory for trainer Michael McCarthy and jockey Flavien Prat and the first Grade I win for his breeders and owners, the Fradkins.

“It was a glorious day,” John Fradkin said as he reflected on last year's achievement. “At the time I was not expecting to win, but I didn't think it was impossible. I knew the horse was doing really well and I knew he would run the race of his life, but I didn't think he would improve as much as he did.”

Since that unforgettable day, Fradkin has learned just what is meant when it is said that racing is a game of highs and lows. After another big-hearted effort to run third in the GI Belmont S., Rombauer enjoyed a 90-day layoff and returned to the racetrack last fall. He was preparing for bids in the G1 Dubai World Cup and GI Pacific Classic when he took a bad step during training and was officially retired early this year.

While the Fradkins were disappointed in how their stable star's racing career was put to a sudden end, they now have big plans for the Classic winner. This month, they launched a campaign for Rombauer's stud career and are hoping to send him to the big leagues in the Bluegrass.

“We would really like to see him stand in Kentucky,” Fradkin said. “He got hurt at a very inopportune time where it was too late to do anything for this year's breeding season. To give him the best chance, it made sense to do it right and wait until next year. Everyone likes first-crop stallions and I don't think it's impossible for him to get 150 mares in 2023.”

Rombauer won first time out as a juvenile, speeding home in :22.93 going a mile on the turf at Del Mar. Also at two, he ran second in his dirt debut in the GI American Pharoah S. and was fifth in the 2020 GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He was successful on the Tapeta at Golden Gate in his winning sophomore debut in the El Camino Real Derby and was third in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. ahead of his victory at Pimlico, which was the sixth-fastest running of the Preakness at its current distance.

Rombauer bests Medina Spirit and Midnight Bourbon in the 2021 Preakness S. | EquiSport Photos

“I always had high hopes for him,” Fradkin noted. “He seemed to always have the look of eagles and he was a good mover. He was also really intelligent, even from the times when I played with him in the field. Eddie Woods really liked him so I always had high hopes, but he obviously surpassed all our hopes.”

While Fradkin pointed to Rombauer's versatility and precocity as some of his best credentials as a future stallion, he said the 4-year-old's most attractive quality for breeders will be his pedigree. He explained how Rombauer is bred on a similar cross to hot sire Gun Runner, noting the success Candy Ride (Arg) and his sons have had with Storm Cat-line mares, and he also talked about the quality surrounding Rombauer's female family.

Rombauer's second dam, Ultrafleet (Afleet), was purchased by the Fradkins as a yearling for $10,500 in 1993. She never placed in a race, but went on to become a highly-successful broodmare. She produced five-time graded winner California Flag (Avenue of Flags) and MGSW Cambiocorsa (Avenue of Flags), the dam of four stakes winners including Grade II winners Moulin de Mougin (Curlin) and Schiaparelli (Ghostzapper). Cambiocorsa's GISP daughter Vionnet (Street Sense) produced European highweight and multiple Group 1 winner Roaring Lion (Kitten's Joy).

“Even if I didn't have anything to do with this horse, I would look at that pedigree and think, wow that's an amazing family,” Fradkin said. “It's done a lot of everything. Rombauer is a Classic winner on dirt. Roaring Lion is a Classic winner in Europe going a mile and a half. Then you have California Flag who won a Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Basically this family can do it all.”

Fradkin said he believes that Rombauer's dam, Cashmere (Cowboy Cal), has inherited her family's potent genetics. She has produced five winners from five to race. Three of those won as first-time starters. The mare's 3-year-old daughter Republique (Strong Mandate) just won on debut at Gulfstream in April and she also has a promising 2-year-old Cairo Prince colt named Alexander Helios in training with Michael McCarthy.

“There's a lot of precocity there and there's a good chance that Rombauer can pass that on,” Fradkin said. “I think if he gets a shot in Kentucky, he has a good chance to succeed. There's so much in that family that you know is going to come out eventually.”

Rombauer currently resides at WinStar Farm. There has already been interest in the stallion prospect, but Fradkin is biding his time and waiting for the right offer to come in.

“We're looking forward to supporting him and cheering on a whole crop of baby Rombauers in the future,” he said. “It's not all about the money. There is reason to believe that Japanese interests will come to look at him in September, but I would accept a lower offer from Kentucky because it would be more fun for us. If you look at history, almost every male Preakness winner who wasn't a gelding got a chance to stand in Kentucky, so why not Rombauer?”

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Preakness Stakes Winner Rombauer Retired; Stud Plans Pending

Rombauer, the upset winner of the 2021 Preakness Stakes, has been retired from racing after his comeback was halted by a Dec. 31 training injury at Santa Anita Park, Daily Racing Form and Thoroughbred Daily News report.

The 4-year-old son of Twirling Candy had not raced since a third-place effort in last year's Belmont Stakes, after which he'd developed some ankle issues. He'd returned to work in October with trainer Michael McCarthy, but following what owner John Fradkin called a “bad step” during morning training, it was decided to stop on the horse.

Fradkin told the TDN that Rombauer's projected 2022 campaign included the Dubai World Cup, the Grade 1 Pacific Classic, and perhaps a try on turf.

Rombauer retired with three wins in eight starts for earnings of $1,040,500. He won on debut as a 2-year-old at Del Mar, and he finished second in the G1 American Pharoah Stakes later in the year before ending his season with a sixth-place effort in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland.

He returned at three with a victory in the listed El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields, which earned him a guaranteed spot in that year's Preakness Stakes. Before that, he finished third in the G2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, and his connections elected to skip the Kentucky Derby.

Rombauer came into the Preakness under the radar, with most of the attention going to Medina Spirit, Midnight Bourbon, and Concert Tour. However, his closing kick under jockey Flavien Prat engulfed the early speed of Medina Spirit and snuffed the stretch drive of Midnight Bourbon to win by 3 1/2 lengths at odds of 11-1.

The colt then finished third to Essential Quality in the Belmont Stakes in what would be his final start.

A homebred for John and Diane Fradkin, Rombauer is out of the unraced Cowboy Cal mare Cashmere, who is herself a Fradkin homebred.

Fradkin told DRF that stud plans were pending for the Preakness winner, acknowledging it was late in the commercial schedule to be making a deal on a new stallion and introducing him to the marketplace.

Rombauer ‘In A Nice Rhythm’ Ahead Of Belmont Stakes

John and Diane Fradkin's homebred colt Rombauer, a decisive winner of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes on May 15 at Pimlico Race Course, worked a half-mile in company Friday on the Belmont Park main track in preparation for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets.

The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival runs from Thursday, June 3 through Saturday, June 5, and is headlined by the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes. The festival will encompass 17 total stakes, including eight Grade 1s on Belmont Stakes Day, capped by the “Test of the Champion” for 3-year-olds in the 1 1/2-mile final leg of the Triple Crown.

Trained by Michael McCarthy, Rombauer garnered a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure for his rallying 3 1/2-length score under jockey Flavien Prat in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness.

With Prat slated to ride Belmont Stakes rival Hot Rod Charlie, Hall of Famer and two-time Belmont Stakes-winner John Velazquez, has picked up the mount on Rombauer, who is stabled at trainer Jonathan Thomas' barn at Belmont.

With Velazquez up for the first time, Rombauer worked outside of Thomas-trained maiden winner That Quality, edging past his rival at the wire and galloping out strong through the turn. Rombauer was clocked in 50.01 seconds over the fast main track with That Quality finishing up in 50.07.

“I was very happy with the work,” said McCarthy, who watched the breeze from the Belmont grandstand. “I just wanted him to go ahead and get familiar with Johnny. He went in 13.2, 25.4 and 50 and 2. He came through the lane nicely and galloped out from the wire to the mile and three-eighths pole in 12 and 2, so I'm happy with everything I saw.

“It seemed like he was well in hand at all times,” added McCarthy. “Johnny asked him to gallop out a little bit going underneath the wire and the horse seemed to respond nicely. I'm very happy with what I saw today.”

Velazquez said he was pleased with his first time aboard the Twirling Candy bay.

“We hooked up at the half mile pole and we started breezing together really nice through the first part and then I let him gallop out after the wire. It was a very good gallop out,” said Velazquez.

The versatile Rombauer, a winner on turf, dirt and synthetic, captured the El Camino Real Derby on the Golden Gate Fields Tapeta in February. He entered the Preakness from a good third in the Grade 2 Blue Grass in April, won by Belmont rival Essential Quality at Keeneland.

Rombauer arrived at Belmont the Monday after the Preakness and McCarthy said the talented colt has settled in well.

“One of the nice things about him is his mind is very good and he's very comfortable wherever he's at,” said McCarthy. “He'll have an easy day tomorrow and a walk day here in the shed row and get back to it again on Sunday.”

McCarthy said he's looking forward to what is shaping up to be a competitive Belmont Stakes field with as many as 11 starters.

“I'm just hoping for a good six or seven days here,” said McCarthy. “The horse is in a nice rhythm and I hope all the participants get into the starting gate as well as they can and we just settle it on the racetrack. That's all you want in any of these big races. You just want everybody to get there in good shape.”

And, ideally, McCarthy would love to see his first Classic winner add to an already impressive ledger. Rombauer is looking to notch the first Belmont Stakes-Preakness only double since Afleet Alex in 2005.

“He's a very cool horse,” said McCarthy. “He's special. He's a classic winner and every classic winner is special.”

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