Romero: Perhaps it's his time

He is among three jockeys under consideration for the Racing Hall of Fame, but if that news was received with measured jubilation by Randy Romero’s family, it was tempered by the stark reality of having lost a kidney that wasn’t working very well in the first place and facing more torturous treatment from which there will never be relief.

The Daily Racing Form reports that Romero, 50, had a kidney removed on Feb. 18 in a Louisville hospital. The kidney, according to Romero’s wife, Cricket, had "a small cancerous spot," which was one reason it was removed, she said. "His other kidney does not work very well at all."

For all is success while riding, Romero has endured every conceivable injury, was badly burned in a freak accident at Oaklawn Park in 1983, and, having been diagnosed with Hepatitis C in 2002, has undergone kidney dialysis three times a week for the last several years while continuing work as an agent and, last fall, exercising horses in New Orleans.

Despite an entirely worthy career, Romero has been overlooked by Hall of Fame voters four times since his retirement in 1999 with nearly 4,300 wins and earnings of more than $75 million.

Treatment for Romero’s viral disease has proven unsuccessful. It is believed he may have contracted the virus in one of many blood transfusions he undertook after the fire at Oaklawn Park. None of that matters, really. In Romero’s state of health,

Romero, whose early family life in Louisiana was the basis for the movie "Casey's Shadow" and counts two magnificent fillies, Personal Ensign and Go for Wand, among his career highlights, has become symbolic of the health problems jockeys face in efforts to maintain riding weight. He is also a genuinely good person who, hopefully, will not be overlooked again in the Hall of Fame ballot. It is about time something good happened to Randy Romero.


Ladies’ Day at Santa Anita

From Breeders’ Cup Ltd. (edited)

The Breeders’ Cup World Championships will card all five of its races for female horses together on the first day of the two-day event, Friday, Oct. 24, at Santa Anita Park, the first time a major thoroughbred racing event in North America has focused an entire day on female championship racing.

Friday’s purses will now total $8 million, more than doubling last year’s Breeders’ Cup Friday purses. The Breeders’ Cup also announced that it has renamed the Breeders Cup Distaff the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic. The Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic will be the premier race on the Breeders’ Cup Friday program. Since 1984 it has proven to be a definitive female championship race as 18 of its winners were named divisional champions. Two Distaff winners, Lady’s Secret (1986) and Azeri (2002), were also voted Horse of the Year. In perhaps the most dramatic race in Breeders’ Cup history, the 4-year-old filly Personal Ensign won the Distaff in 1988 to finish her career undefeated.

The Ladies Classic, the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and the new Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf will take place on Friday.

“The initial response from the Breeders’ Cup family including ESPN, our marketing partners, nominators and trustees has been extremely supportive and enthusiastic,” said Breeders Cup President and CEO Greg Avioli. “By shifting some of our traditional Saturday races to Friday, we ensure that Friday stands on its own as an international competition of the highest level. This new format provides a great stage to showcase the talents of the best female thoroughbreds in the world.”

Aqueduct: Feb. 28

Race 5: Broad Acres
Race 9: Northern Rodes